


Violet of the Valley

by ShadefortheSoul



Series: In Search of a Soul [2]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Abigail is a Beast, Accidental Spell Casting, All The Ships, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Talks With the Doctor, Awkward situations, Backstories Galore, Beach Volleyball, Casual Cross-dressing, Couples Who Slay Together Stay Together, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Curses, Cute Kids, Dancing is Sexy, Day At The Beach, Drowning, Even Sea Monsters Don't Like Being Treated Like Children, Expanding on canon, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Goddesses, Grandparents Had Lives Once Too, Heart-to-Heart, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Innuendo, Love Confessions, M/M, Magic, Maru and Alex Make a Great Team, Meddling, Mental Health Issues, Mild Gore, Mild Sexual Content, Original Character(s), POV Alternating, Part 2, Peril, RPGs, Regret, Sad Shane, Sam is Very Secure in His Sexuality, Sam's So Into That, Second-Hand Embarrassment, Seriously I'm Worse than George RR Martin with these POV Shifts, Sexual Humor, Shane Needs Therapy, Sibling Bonding, Siblings, Sisters, Slow Burn, Small Towns, Stargazing, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Summer Year 1, Texting, The Farmer Doesn't Hog All the Heart Events, The Traveling Merchant Isn't Human, There Are No Mistakes Only Happy Accidents, Unintentional Turn-ons, discussion of suicide attempt, local history, luau, the things we do for love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 27
Words: 144,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26780026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadefortheSoul/pseuds/ShadefortheSoul
Summary: As the season changes from Spring to Summer, Violet makes a disturbing discovery. Sebastian, Sam, and Abigail all vow to find out the truth of the Valley's history - forming the Cave Exploration Squad.Shane struggles to deal with his depression and considers drastic action, Dr. Harvey makes a life-changing decision, and Sebastian starts to research why the local creatures refer to him as the "Commander of the Dead." Does it have anything to do with his absentee father?Both Haley and Alex question their feelings toward certain bachelorettes in Pelican Town.Meanwhile, the possibility of romance wafts in the air, as the warm summer breeze allows for stargazing, moonlit walks on the beach, and outdoor exploration.[I update weekly on average.]
Relationships: Abigail/Sam (Stardew Valley), Emily/Shane (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: In Search of a Soul [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924084
Comments: 83
Kudos: 83





	1. Tapestry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet discovers a disturbing tapestry in the ceiling of her home that appears to depict a gruesome glimpse into the Valley's history. Sebastian, Sam, and Abigail all vow to help uncover the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the beginning of Part 2 of the "In Search of a Soul" series. I strongly recommend reading Part 1 so that everything makes sense.
> 
> This chapter is a bit shorter than my usual ones, but there will be plenty more to come.

Surprisingly, Sebastian beat both Sam and Abigail to the farmhouse by at least fifteen minutes. The hoodie-clad man arrived at Fairy Rose Farm wide-eyed and panting, but he immediately relaxed when he found Violet sitting on the porch, completely unharmed. When Sebastian tried to enter the house, Violet held out a hand to stop him. The young woman refused to enter the house again until Sam and Abigail arrived. "It's creepy," she warned her friend as his breathing became normal again. "Like cult creepy."

Violet did not speak again until the others arrived, clearly deep in thought. Sebastian noticed her biting the insides of her cheeks anxiously and he wanted to know what Violet was thinking, but he could not find a way to inquire without seeing what it was that upset her so.

"Yo, V!" Sam called out as soon as he and Abigail were in sight. "What's the emergency?"

Abigail ran up to Violet and scanned her for injuries. "Are you okay? We got here as fast as we could!"

The pastel-haired woman stood gravely and waved them all inside. "Take a look for yourself..." she instructed the gang, opening the door so they could enter.

The enormous tapestry was old and worn from age, but expertly made. The uppermost fabrics were a quaint forest scene with a large clearing with a tiny hut with strange runes displayed on its door off to the left. But, the further down the quilt one's eyes traveled, the more sinister the stitch work. The next portion of the textile seemed to be a depiction of a network of ore-laden rock tunnels filled with cave-dwelling creatures. The bottom half of the fabric depicted a grotesque tableau of death and torture. Violet was positive her grandmother never showed her this particular work - assuming her grandmother made it at all. It appeared to be much older than her grandparents, even to her untrained eyes. Humanoid bodies strewn about, likely dead, and tiny figures standing upon them triumphantly. A strange, lop-sided structure where the same small, horned individuals – whose faces remained concealed by dark shrouds – seemed to congregate.

Off to one side stood a circle of the human-like characters, decorated in gold finery and a small sun floating above another pile of gory victims at the center. The remaining hominids were not spared the pain, however. Another legion of horned figures unleashed a bright green explosion upon them, interrupting the rite, ending in disastrous consequences. It was as if the shadows of the people were attempting to flee from their bodily hosts, clamoring away from the scalding light as it melted the flesh off their bones. Their miniature faces were twisted in unnervingly accurate depictions of pain and misery.

"What… is this?" Abigail gasped, her eyes tracing every detail of the fabric. She reached down to brush her fingertips on one of the fallen humanoids, but she stopped herself just short, as if she were afraid of what touching it might do. She felt slightly nauseous by the unnervingly tiny, yet realistic expressions on the victims’ faces.

Sam, who had also been studying the tapestry, finally spoke: "I think it's Pelican Town – or maybe the Valley overall - before it was settled. There are definitely some recognizable landmarks. "Look!" he indicated to the general shape of the town on the top portion of the quilt. "There's the Cindersap Forest, the beach, the mountain, and the river that connects them all." While the present-day buildings were absent, the blond appeared to be on to something.

Abigail posed a second question: "So, if this is the town, is all this supposed to be inside the mountain?" She gestured toward the more harmless mine dwellers, like the bugs and rock crabs. "I've seen these little guys in the mines, but I've never seen the others." To be fair, Abigail had only gone down a few levels while exploring. She had neither the endurance nor the equipment to brave much more on her own.

Sebastian chimed in with his own commentary. "Not to mention all the bodies…" The young man rubbed his chin, staring intently at the crude figures appearing to lie lifeless on the fabricated ground, "It looks almost like some sort of ritual. There, with the ball of light they're circling." He then pointed to the shiny, slanted structure full of tiny barb-headed figures, "And what the hell is this?"

Violet shook her head, "I have no idea," she confessed, concerned that she did not have any more details than the rest of her new friends. "But I think... this might have something to do with that Shadow that came to my window that night." Her deep blue eyes focused on the shadows separating from the bodies of the ritual-participants as she gingerly bushed her fingertips against the fabric. This odd tapestry looked similar in style to the quilts made by her grandmother. Perhaps it was a family heirloom? But if so, why had it never been mentioned? And why did such a grim textile even exist?

The farmer wished she had asked her grandmother more questions before she passed on, but Violet would certainly never known to inquire about the mysterious embroidery work. It was too late now, either way. They would have to figure this out without her help. Violet could not shake the creeping sense of dread filling her body, as if something were crawling inside her, stirring up old cobwebs in the back of her mind. The farmer had forgotten something important. And yet, no matter how hard she tried, Violet still could not recall. It made her feel ill.

"I think you're right," Sebastian agreed, breaking her concentration. He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked to Violet. "Do you mind if I take some pictures? I think we should all look into this more." As messed up as it was, this was the first time in ages something genuinely caught Sebastian's interest and he knew he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

The pastel-haired woman nodded her approval and the gang all backed away so he could properly photograph the tapestry. "I'll send it to all of you just in case," he informed them, "maybe if we split up some of the work, we can find some answers."

Abigail scoffed. "Where do we even start?" she asked incredulously. "Google 'Pelican Town human sacrifice rituals?'"

"I feel like the older generations would have said something if there were local legends about it," Sebastian reasoned. "If nothing else, just as a boogey man story to scare the kids into good behavior." He paused, scanning the tapestry with his dark eyes. "It must be something old enough to be forgotten through the generations. I mean, there aren't even any of the town buildings on this map, just… a hut in the place we're standing now."

Violet realized when it was pointed out that the hut was in fact – at least proportionally – on what was now Fairy Rose Farm. The knowledge gave her an uneasy feeling. "It looks… sort of like the Junimos' hut in the Community Center," she thought out loud. “Only bigger and more elaborate.”

Abigail nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I’ve seen that thing, too,” she confirmed, since neither of the men had encountered the Junimos as far as she was aware. “But I wonder what these symbols mean?” the amethyst-haired woman inquired, her hand hovering over the scarlet letters on the structure.

“And are they written with paint or… blood?” Sebastian added grimly. It was a fair question in connection to the other images on the fabric, but not something that anyone particularly wanted to think about when they were standing on the presumed location of the hut.

“So what do we do?” Abigail asked the gang.

Sam smirked, “We just found a crazy-old piece of Pelican Town history,” he stated proudly. “I say we should uncover the truth about out quaint little home town. What do you all think?”

“I don’t know if that’s going to make me feel better or worse…” Violet admitted, her deep blue eyes still transfixed on the tapestry.

The blond shrugged, “Hey, for all we know this was just some elaborate method of story-telling for the people that used to live here and your farm is completely normal.” He draped an arm around Violet’s shoulder casually, trying to reassure the newest member of their friend group. “And if it turns out that your house is built on an ancient burial ground, I’m sure we can find a way to appease the spirits or something with a little bit of digging.”

Violet could not help but pale slightly when Sam mentioned that she potentially lived on curse land, despite the fact that she knew he was only teasing. “… Thanks,” she responded quietly, as her hand absently reached to stroke Bruno’s head.

“Either way, we can’t get anything done tonight,” Abigail told the group. She turned to Violet, “It’s late so the library isn’t open and I’m sure you have a lot to do tomorrow for the start of the new season.”

The farmer nodded, finally peeling her gaze away from the tapestry. “Right.” Before she realized, Violet started folding up the tapestry to put it away again. Sebastian lowered himself to the floor to assist her, but the young woman did not seem to notice his presence beside her until she accidentally bumped into him. “Sorry…” she apologized, though unlike usual Violet did not blush from his touch. Sebastian could not read her, her face was blank and expressionless.

“I’ll let you know if I find anything about it tomorrow, V,” Sam assured the farmer, opening the front door to take his leave. “In the meantime, I’ve got to get home for the night. See ya!”

“Don’t worry too much,” Abigail said calmly. In a more confident tone, the amethyst-haired woman gave an additional comment. “I know it’s kind of fucked up, but I don’t think you’re in any sort of danger from something that happened so long ago. Besides, if you’re in any sort of trouble, just text us like you did and we’ll be here before you know it.”

Violet bobbed her head. “Yeah, you all showed up when I needed you,” she agreed, though the grocer’s daughter noticed that the farmer’s eyes shot a look toward Sebastian, who had arrived on the scene first. “I appreciate it.”

Abigail smiled, then waved her good-byes to the two remaining people in the house before she followed her boyfriend out into the night.

Sebastian watched Abigail disappear before helping Violet hoist the enormous swatch of fabric back up in the hatch in the closet before either of them spoke again. “Are… you okay, Violet?” the dark-haired man asked, his tone laced with concern for his friend. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

There was a moment of silence between the two of them as Violet hopped down from the chair and sighed. Her lips twitched from side to side as she pondered her words. “Do you ever… feel like you _should_ know something, but you can’t remember it to save your life?”

The programmer chuckled. “Like something you learned in grade school?” he questioned jokingly.

Violet’s mouth curved up into a slight smile. “Sorta,” she admitted sheepishly. Sebastian could tell now that her give-away expression had returned to her face that Violet’s thoughts were starting to pull away from whatever bothered her so much. That was a relief. “I feel like… I saw what happened here,” she revealed in a voice hardly above a whisper. “But I couldn’t have possibly seen it,” the young woman admitted. “This thing has got to be older than either of my grandparents.”

“Could you have seen the tapestry before?” Sebastian suggested with a shrug. “It was stored here in the ceiling, after all,” he reasoned, pulling the kitchen chair back to its rightful spot at the table.

The farmer shook her head, her wavy hair swaying along with her. “No… It feels like a memory of _being_ there, seeing it through my own eyes,” Violet clarified. “Experiencing it first-hand.”

“Okay, yeah,” Sebastian relented. “That is kind of weird.” He gestured to the air around him. “But then again, Pelican Town isn’t as normal as I thought, so who knows what it means? Maybe you’re magic, too.”

“Oh, boy. Location-based visions,” she replied sarcastically. “Let me go wandering around the woods and find out where all the serial killers bury their dead around here.” Violet was clearly not amused by the idea of that brand of morbid magical ability.

Sebastian tried to change the subject, “Hey, I’ve been wanting to test some magic for a while,” he told the farmer. “Do you want to help me with that tomorrow?”

Violet sighed, “Well, the first of the month happens to be my busiest day of each season,” she replied. “But I’ll see if I can squeeze you into my schedule.”

If his friend was feeling well enough to tease him, Sebastian felt better leaving for the night. “Well, be sure to hit me up when you’re all finished,” he instructed, waving his phone at her for emphasis before placing it back into his back pocket. “Unless you want a buddy to stick around tonight just in case?”

The woman raised her eyebrows. “Are you trying to invite yourself over for another sleepover?” she asked with a teasing smile. “I know I said you looked nice at the Flower Dance, but don’t get too full of yourself, nerd.”

“I was actually angling to steal all your books,” Sebastian said, returning Violet’s jest with one of his own. “I left so quickly that I didn’t have time to grab the ones you leant me earlier.”

“You finished those already?” Violet laughed, both impressed and appalled. “You could not possibly have taken the time to appreciate them!” she said accusingly.

Sebastian averted his gaze. “They were surprisingly good,” he admitted with a shrug. “I wasn’t sure what to think at first, but you weren’t kidding about your warnings.” The man chuckled nervously. “I got attached to the casualties before they died,” he complained.

The woman gasped, “Don’t you dare just call them ‘casualties,’” she scolded. Despite herself, however, Violet gave Sebastian a smug look as she fished the next volume from her shelf. “Here, you can take one more,” the farmer told her friend. “But you don’t get any more until you return the others.”

Violet glanced at the clock and her face dropped in horror. “Now leave!” she huffed, shooing Sebastian out the door. “It’s almost midnight and I have to get up in six hours,” she groaned miserably.

“You could just sleep in like a normal person,” the hoodie-clad man sniffed in amusement.

“I’m too stubborn to be normal,” Violet responded in annoyance, giving him one last gentle shove out of her house. “Good-night!” she said emphatically as she closed the door behind him.

Sebastian could not help but chuckle at Violet’s change in mood. At least she seemed to forget all about the tapestry. On top of that, he even got the next volume of the series and the opportunity to test out his magic tomorrow. Summer was his least favorite season, but despite himself Sebastian found he was looking forward to it this year.


	2. Summer Start-Ups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet sets up for her first Summer in Pelican Town. Sebastian accidentally discovers a minor magical ability. Maru acknowledges her father's personal growth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short and took so long to post. I've been sick.

Despite Violet's best efforts to fall asleep right away, the farmer had trouble letting herself slip into unconsciousness. Even with Bruno at the foot of her bed, using her feet to prop up his enormous head as he slept, the young woman still felt uneasy about the depictions in the tapestry. Were the visions of the events just her imagination of what it would have been like to be a person inside the wordless story? While Violet could be creative at times, the experience felt far too realistic. The shadow that appeared in her window looked eerily similar to the victims on the textile. The terrified shadows tearing themselves from their respective humanoids as the bodies melted away. The thought of the embroidered faces still chilled her. But Violet had to admit Abigail was probably correct that she was not likely in any immediate danger. The shadow, as creepy as it had been, did not end up causing any physical harm in the end. Violet was not entirely convinced that nothing would happen, but eventually her mind relaxed enough to allow sleep.

Much to her horror, the farmer still woke at the crack of dawn, not quite fully recovered from the lack of sleep the night before. After some consideration, Violet decided it was best to lay in bed a little longer until she felt ready to face the day. Bruno, however, did not share in his human's desires to stay put and abandoned her to chase a particularly twitchy squirrel he spied from the window. Eventually, as the sunlight's warmth began to increase its intensity, Violet begrudgingly rolled out of bed to begin her day's work. While the farmer had cleared the weeds the day before, it seemed that some magically appeared again overnight. So some basic maintenance was required before Violet could till the soil for the new crops this season. Luckily her prep work saved her some time, however, and Violet filled her watering can and left all her tools but her hoe in the storage chest so she could fit as much into her bag as possible. 

Before she left for town, Violet checked the cave for the mushrooms Demetrius claimed would be growing in there now that he set things up. Sure enough, there were six common mushrooms, which the farmer immediately tucked away in her bag. As she headed out of the cave, the woman remembered the tappers that she and Bex had made a week ago and wondered if they had produced enough to harvest. Upon inspection, the pine tar and oak resin were ready, but the maple syrup still needed more time. She emptied the two full tappers and replaced them gently, taking great care to ensure they were properly installed.

As much as she wanted to sell the viscous liquids, Violet knew that they were among the items the forest spirits requested. Violet decided to make this trip more efficient by grabbing more items that the Junimos wanted while she was making the trip anyway: stone, wood, and the slime core from the slime she slayed in the mines. Shouldering her bag, Violet made her way toward the abandoned building to say hello to her little forest friends. As she passed the bus station, Violet spied a small purple flower, which she gently plucked from the soil. The woman recognized the sweet pea from the list of summer foraged plants. "I'm being so damn efficient today," Violet praised herself, adding the flower to her bag's inventory.

The Junimos greeted Violet happily as she entered the old Community Center. While it was clear the Junimos could not speak many human words, Violet found that she could understand quite a bit of what they said when they chose to speak. "Our Lady is here!" a particularly plump Junimo sang as more of the creatures flooded the central room. Flashing a smile, Violet presented the items she brought for them and the small apple-like creatures beady eyes widened in delight. Gingerly, several forest spirits stepped forward to accept the stone, wood, and mushrooms, and took them to the correct room to place on the golden scrolls. Violet was still unsure if the tiles simply kept things fresh or transported the items somewhere else entirely, but no matter what happened to the bundles, it clearly made her rotund friends happy. And if the Junimos were happy, so was the farmer. 

Pierre seemed ecstatic to see Violet when she opened the door into the General Store. "It's farmer Violet!" he announced as she walked toward the counter. The woman was not used to this much fuss over her business, but she supposed Pelican Town was much smaller than any other place she used to live. "I've got new Summer seeds," the bespectacled man told Violet. "And the best quality in town!"

Violet groaned when she saw the prices, knowing fully well that she was going to be broke for a while after buying all the seeds she wanted. Pierre smiled with a trace of smugness at the corners of his mouth as the farmer surrendered the gold owed for the transaction. Despite her grumpy thoughts, Violet returned the smile politely and gathered up the seeds and extra fertilizer she purchased and immediately headed back home.

The shadows began to elongate with the late afternoon sun when Violet finally finished planting her summer seeds. She had a nice variety: blueberries, corn, melons, peppers, radish, tomatoes, and wheat. Violet decided not to grow flowers just yet, if she was going to at all. Sure they were beautiful and decorative, but flowers would not feed the town, and Violet was determined to provide fresh produce to her neighbors. After sprinkling some fertilizer on about half of all her crops, making sure to give the melons and corn a bit extra since the Junimos requested higher-quality for their bundles. Violet decided not to bother fertilizing the wheat and radishes, they grew fast enough anyway and the crops that would continue to produce after the plant matured were more important. When the new farmer was satisfied with her work, she stood in front of her large garden with a wide grin on her face. Another successful start to a growing season! Violet only felt more assured that this career change was a good choice, even if it had been an impulsive one. 

After rinsing off in the shower from all the dirt and sweat, Violet texted Sebastian. ***I'm finally done with farm work for the day. Stop by whenever to try out some magic tests.***

***I'll be by soon.***

* * *

Sebastian confirmed a small magical ability on his own by accident that morning. He spilled his morning coffee all over Demetrius' notes, so his step-father asked Sebastian to copy the notes into a clean notebook. At first, the young man wanted to object, but it was technically his fault the notes had been ruined and if Demetrius had helped with the addition of windows to Sebastian’s room, the young man decided he would put forth effort on his end as well. Sebastian descended the stairs to his room and cleared his gaming table, griping to himself that the project would last all day. But as he sat down and his dark eyes darted across the page to read the words, the hoodie-clad man found the clean sheets of paper began to fill all on their own at an impressive rate. 

It was not much in terms of magical ability, but amanuensis was a useful skill. Sebastian was elated that he finally had the first tangible proof of magical ability, even if it was just a minor spell. The programmer had tried a few of the more dramatic spells on his own time since the night after he saw the shadow creature. However, most of them were likely too high level and did not produce the expected result. Regardless, Sebastian lacked a magical staff, an impressive beard, and a balrog to properly recreate Gandalf's dramatic scene. The dark-haired man began to feel a bit foolish for not trying more simplistic tests sooner.

The discovery was worth the wasted coffee, if not just to see the dumbfounded expression on Demetrius' face when his step-son handed him the crisp, identical copy of his soiled field notes in less than ten minutes. "There's no way..." his step-father began in annoyance, but as Demetrius examined the flawlessly copied notes more closely, the older man's words ceased for a moment. "That was... incredibly fast work," Demetrius said quietly. The shock in his voice sounded like music to Sebastian's ears.

And so Sebastian spent the rest of his day as he normally did, working on programming jobs he had taken from small companies who wanted his quality work without the price of someone with the fancy letters behind their name to up the cost. Sometimes he still wondered if it would be worth it to finish his degree after all. He never formally went to college. Just some online courses here and there, and quite frankly it bored him to no end. So for the most part, he made money off of relatively simple programming jobs, but every once and a while Sebastian would snatch the opportunity for a true challenge. Sadly, this was not one of those days. So Sebastian spent the day more impatient for Violet's text than he would care to admit. 

"Finally!" the man exclaimed when his phone chimed, revealing Violet's message. Sebastian grabbed a few of his table top RPG books for spell ideas and dropped them in his bag in addition to the manga he needed to return.

* * *

Maru was working in the lab when she heard Sebastian shout and her father cursing under his breath in the kitchen. Part of her wanted to immediately rush in to make sure that the situation did not escalate, but Maru stopped herself from interfering when she heard two annoyed, yet calm voices conversing. Huh. Maybe she and her mom were finally getting through to the two men of the house. 

Sebastian exited the kitchen and retreated to his room, the stairs creaking slightly under his feet. It was then that Maru decided to casually investigate what occurred. Pretending to just get a glass of water, the young scientist greeted her father, who stood at the sink doing some dishes. "Morning, dad!"

Demetrius looked up at his daughter and smiled, "Good morning, Maru. How are those petri dishes doing today?"

"The cultures are growing as expected," his daughter reported nonchalantly, picking up a plate from the drying rack and wiping it with a towel to put away in the cabinet. "We should have enough for an acceptable sample size in a few more days."

Her father nodded, scrubbing a pan from breakfast. "I'm glad to see that your work with me is not being effected by your personal projects," he informed Maru earnestly. 

"I can multi-task," the brunette assured Demetrius. She plucked a few utensils from the pail and patted them dry before tucking them away in the drawer. "Besides, after the initial research, it's just checking in with Alex and going over his progress with him. He's performing comfortably well, so I might up the difficulty with this week's incremental changes."

Demetrius chuckled under his breath, handing off the newly cleaned pan to his daughter. "You're trying to make that boy suffer a little, aren't you?"

Maru shrugged. "He asked for a challenge, so it would be a disservice to not adjust the plans to suit his ambitions." She paused and smirked at her father. "I see you're not so opposed to the idea of my helping Alex anymore," the overall-clad woman observed.

The man shifted his stance awkwardly. "You're not a fearlessly curious child trying to eat poisonous wild fungi anymore..." he replied solemnly. "You know how to handle yourself. Just make sure you think things through and trust your instincts."

"Mom talked to you, didn't she?" Maru teased her father, ribbing him gently.

Demetrius laughed, "Quite a lot," he admitted sheepishly. "I find I need more practice trusting how your mother and I raised you and your own autonomy as an individual."

Maru beamed, "That's more like it!" she praised Demetrius, giving him a quick side-hug. "So I suppose this means you're okay with my going over to the Mullner's for dinner on Tuesdays?"

"What now?"


	3. Testing, Testing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang gathers to help Sebastian test his magical ability. Alex wonders what the hell the local weirdos are doing on the farm.

As he walked westward toward Violet's place, Sebastian texted Sam and Abigail to join him at Fairy Rose Farm to help with the tests of his magical ability. While he knew a lot of this was likely going to make him look an idiot, if something cool happened, part of him wanted his friends there to share the excitement.

A person was hard-pressed finding something completely new in a place they lived most of their life, so Sebastian knew this was special. The potential for magic in his life opened up so many possibilities, even if he would not be able to use it in the open most places. Luckily, Violet's farm was private property and Sebastian would have the freedom to try some of the riskier spells without risking harm to the denizens of Pelican Town.

Sebastian felt his heart begin to race with anticipation as the path sloped downward toward the clearing. But was it just the idea of magic or was something else making his heart pace as well? He glanced down at his chest where the nicotine patch was placed under his clothing. That was a side effect. For now, the theoretical sorcerer smiled and continued down the path.

* * *

Abigail was walking around the mountain lake when she got Sebastian's text. Ironically, they could have walked to Violet's together, but the amethyst-haired woman realized that Sebastian likely did not know she was so close to his house. Oh well.

Her light blue eyes spied Linus leaving the lake area about the same time. Part of her always wondered how the wild man managed to survive out here year-round. Perhaps a person could simply live off of fishing and foraging? Either way, Abigail did not know much about Linus. The only reason the young woman would consider speaking to the bearded man was because of his close relationship with the mysterious wizard who lived in the old stone tower in the Cindersap Forest. Her mother had forbidden her from speaking to Rasmodius, though she did not know why. Either way, today was not the day to demand answers from a stranger.

The amethyst-haired woman pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time. 4:00 PM. Sam just got off work. Maybe she could swing by to pick him up before heading over to Violet's? That way the farmer and Sebastian could have a little alone time without the pressure of it being a one-on-one thing for too long. As much as she promised Leah she was not going to push things along, Abigail regarded arriving a little late to a group gathering as no big deal.

So rather than taking the more direct mountain path toward the farm, Abigail went south back toward town. *Hey, Sam. I'm going to swing by to pick you up. Don't leave home yet, okay?*

*Sure thing, Abi. I'm just gonna shower real quickly. A Joja Cola exploded on me earlier.*

Abigail blushed at the idea of her boyfriend still steamy from the shower. Despite how teased she felt by Sam pumping the breaks on their physical intimacy lately, she really wanted to see the blond in some state of undress. Maybe if she just sat and waited for him on his bed, facing away from the bathroom? That way, if he did not want her seeing him, Sam could let her know to leave for a moment so he could get dressed. And if her boyfriend was into that... well... Abigail walked a little faster down the mountain toward town.

* * *

Leah grabbed the last of her groceries from the counter of Pierre's General Store and gently packed them away in her canvas messenger bag. The ginger was disappointed that Haley had not been in the Cindersap Forest this afternoon, but the artist should not have been too surprised. Most people changed their schedules around when the weather got warmer and the days grew longer in the summertime. Even she was no exception.

Still, part of her wanted to speak to Haley after the Flower Dance, but she had not really seen the blonde since. Was Haley avoiding her? Leah sighed, shaking her head. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. We hardly spoke at all before, why should now be any different?

Leah remembered the way Haley's clumsy attempt to kiss her at the dance. While the artist did not like the circumstances in which Haley chose to make a move, for a moment Leah had seriously considered not stopping her beautiful blonde neighbor's lips from pressing against hers. It could have been nice… the redhead thought to herself.

Leah had not been in a relationship for a while now and she openly lamented to her blonde neighbor how difficult it was to be the only lesbian in town. Maybe… Haley found some courage from her words? Leah had assumed that she was the only lesbian in town because no one else in town appeared to be out of the closet, but perhaps she had jumped to conclusions. After all, before the Flower Dance Leah was only out to Elliott and Violet, as far as she was aware. Maybe Emily, too. The barkeep probably heard plenty of her complaints to Elliott over the past year. Leah told herself that these ideas were probably wishful thinking, and yet...

The braided-haired woman paused outside of Haley's house for a moment, pretending to admire the cactus and summer flowers in the garden box. Should she stop by and apologize? Leah noticed her reflection in the window and spied the wood shavings in her hair from her work earlier in the day. Haley probably would have made a disparaging comment about it, the sculptor thought to herself sadly. Then again, the blonde was quick to apologize when she realized her words came off more harshly than she intended.

Laughter rang out into the air and Leah realized that it was Haley. The ginger spun around to face her, only to realize that Haley was coming toward the house with Alex. Leah's heart sank at the bright smile on Haley's face as the giggling continued. No, she only even considered me for a moment when Alex was preoccupied with someone else, Leah told herself, scolding her own foolishness. The artist decided to make her escape before the two noticed her, but as Haley reached for her keys in her purse, she could have sworn she glimpsed a red braid disappear behind a bush, heading toward the Cindersap Forest.

"Everything okay, Haley?" Alex curiously asked, leaning his back against the beige siding of the house next to the door frame.

Haley nodded, though it was clear to the spiky-haired brunet that the blonde was distracted by her far-off look toward the west. "I just… thought I saw something beautiful I might want to photograph."

* * *

The gentle rapping at the door informed Violet that Sebastian arrived to start the magic tests. Opening the entrance to the house with protest from the squeaky hinges, the farmer invited her guest in and then quickly returned to the kitchen as the chime of a timer rang out.

"Did you… just pull out home-made french fries?" Sebastian asked, eyeing the baking pan Violet removed from the oven.

The floral-haired woman smiled. "I made an attempt," Violet admitted sheepishly, "though I can't say whether or not they were successful until they've been taste-tested." She dumped the shoelace-thin strips onto a large plate and although they already appeared to be seasoned, Violet dusted them with a little extra something. "I don't have a fryer, so they might not be as tasty as what Gus could make, but I wanted to give it a shot with my fresh potatoes!"

Sebastian could not help but notice the way Violet's face lit up with pride at the fruits - or in this case, vegetables - of her labor. The smell was mouth-watering but he did his best not to openly drool. "They - uh - smell good," the programmer told his friend.

Violet beamed as she presented Sebastian with a plate of his own at the table. "Congrats on volunteering as my first guinea pig!" she teased.

While they did smell appetizing, Sebastian had never had a woman make him food other than his mother. If this smell lied to him, the dark-haired man was not sure how to react without insulting his friend. But there was always the chance that this alluring aroma matched the taste of the food.

The pastel-haired woman chuckled in amusement at her friend's expression, which she mistook for a different kind of fear. "Oh, c'mon," she insisted, "I didn't poison them." Her deep blue eyes glanced at Sebastian. "Besides, if you ate those strawberry cheesecake chimichangas at the Flower Dance, you already know I'm not a completely terrible cook."

"Wait, those things were yours?" Sebastian blinked, snapping out of his daze at the memory of what Sam had dubbed "better than sex dessert tacos," which was ironic coming from Sam whom Sebastian was almost certain was still a virgin anyway. Not that Sebastian himself had any room to talk, the opportunity just… never presented itself living in the Valley. And whenever he went to ZuZu City on his motorcycle, Sebastian usually went to be alone. He was never great at talking to girls anyway, even when they approached him outside of bars. They made him so nervous. After the incident on his 21st birthday, Sebastian was careful not to let himself too drunk when he went into the city anyway.

But Violet had not asked about that, she had mentioned food. Sebastian then realized that in his excitement over impressing Demetrius with his first spell with tangible evidence, he had forgotten to eat lunch. No wonder his mouth was watering. "I only got a little bite by the time everyone else got to them. They seemed popular."

The farmer smiled at him, "In that case, I'll be sure to make them again and set aside a few just for you." Violet said as she turned away to wash the pan sheet in the sink.

The programmer realized that this was the best chance to try the fries without offending the farmer if he didn't like them. His face would be a dead give-away, but she was facing the other way. Sebastian shoved a few into his mouth and his eyes widened in surprise at the flavor, "They're spicy!" he observed aloud.

"Well you can't just have plain fries!" Violet insisted, setting the pan in the drying rack so that time could finish the chore for her. "Spices make most food better."

Sebastian had to agree with the farmer in this case as he tossed a few more fries into his open mouth. While they were not the same as greasy fries, they had a different appeal to them. The would-be sorcerer discovered that his tongue certainly appreciated the vacation from the normal tastes he expected.

The young man suddenly became self-conscious when he realized that Violet stood smiling at him and he blushed at the attention. "Did I… say something wrong?" he inquired hesitantly, tugging at the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

The farmer shook her head, her light purple hair ponytail bouncing slightly to and fro. "Oh, no! Not at all." Her cobalt eyes darted toward the far wall. "It's just… been a while since I've had someone new to appreciate the food I made."

Before Sebastian's brain could think, his stomach took control. "Well, if you keep making stuff this good, I'll try whatever you want."

Just as Sebastian finished his sentence, the door hinges squealed in protest as Sam burst into the house, his face immediately twisting into a grin. "You'll try whatever Violet wants? Damn, Sebby. Who knew you were so bold?" he queried with a mischievous wink.

Both Violet and Sebastian blushed at Sam's intended innuendo. "SAM!" the farmer protested. "He didn't mean it like that! He was offering to taste-test edible food things." The embarrassed woman stumbled over her words as she shoved a plate of fries toward Sam and Abigail before disappearing into her room for a moment to compose herself.

Abigail burst into laughter and called after the young woman. "Oh, it's okay, Violet. Sam was only kidding."

Sebastian, however, did not have the luxury to hide in a bedroom because this was not his house. Sam took a handful of fries and stuffed them into his gaping mouth. "Mmm, these are good, V!" He chuckled and gave his best friend a wink before he called after their host. "I take it back, Violet. I can see why Sebastian gave you such high praises. Will you adopt me so I can eat this stuff all the time?"

"Isn't she younger than you?" the programmer questioned.

Sam shrugged and Abigail stole a few fries from the plate. "Well, it's not like I'd ask V to marry me," he glanced at his girlfriend with a grin. "I can't say that Abi would like that."

Abigail groaned happily after sampling the spiced shoestring potatoes. "I dunno…" she replied doubtfully. "If Violet cooks food like this all the time, I could be down for some polygamy," the amethyst-haired woman smiled, stealing a look at Sebastian's ever-reddening face.

"Th-that's enough, you two," Sebastian demanded shakily. "You're embarrassing Violet." Though neither of the two were convinced that the pastel-haired woman still hiding in her bedroom was the only one.

The skater relented. "Eh, I guess I can't steal all the ladies in town."

Abigail emphasized her agreement by wrapping her arms over his shoulder. "You can't handle me as it is," Sam's girlfriend reminded him, planting a slightly possessive kiss on his cheek.

"Ugh, get a room, you two," Violet chimed in, rejoining the group in the kitchen. Her eyes swept over her friends and noticed both plates were already cleared. "Shall we go outside and see what fun new things Sebastian can do?"

The trio of non-magical individuals formed a half-circle around Sebastian, giving him a wide berth for safety purposes. "So, how do we do this?" Abigail wondered aloud. "Just shout out ideas?"

Sebastian pulled a book out of his backpack labeled "Spell Compendium" and the amethyst-haired woman shook her head. "You are such a nerd, Sebastian."

The hopeful sorcerer tried to ignore his friend's teasing. "Just… pick something relatively low-level that doesn't need weird materials and I'll try it."

* * *

Rasmodius felt the faint presence of a magical source tickling the back of his mind as he worked on the latest of his arcane research. Eventually, the wizard became curious enough to scan the town for the being responsible. Using the enormous spy glass that peered out into the world from his roof, the purple-clad man found what he sought. "Ah, it's the kid from the mountain again…"

The wizard noticed the flashes of magical energy that none of the young man's companions could see as he attempted several spells in quick succession. After watching for a while, Rasmodius decided to take a closer look in-person, but kept himself concealed. He teleported himself to the farm and kept a close eye on the events under the guise of invisibility. Rasmodius waited a moment to discern whether or not any of the others detected him and when it became apparent that none of the four had done so, the wizard settled in the grass to observe.

The tests were incredibly inefficient, as there was little structure to them. The banana-haired boy would call out spells seemingly at random and the untrained sorcerer would try it. Nothing was working and the spell names were often ridiculously campy. From his observations, the color of the mystical aura the raven-haired boy emitted suggested to Rasmodius that the boy was best suited for two specific types of magic in particular. But how to point them in the right direction without revealing himself?

"Nothing's working," the beginner sorcerer complained. He sighed, obviously discouraged. "Maybe all I'm cut out for is the general convenience spells that don't have a lot of power behind them."

The young woman who visited him last season spoke up. "Don't give up, Sebastian. We just haven't found your magical niche yet," she encouraged her companion.

The forest guardian then took what Rasmodius assumed to be their spell book from the taller of the two men and began to flip through the pages. "Perfect!" the wizard said quietly as he muttered the spell to share the young woman's sight. "Aha!" The purple-wearing man then gently nudged the girl's attention to one spell in particular.

"What about this 'chill touch' thing?" farmer Violet suggested to the group. "It's low-level and it doesn't require any material components…"

The inexperienced caster took the book to read its description and nodded, "Okay," he agreed. Sebastian, as Rasmodius heard the farmer call the lad, reached out toward a small tree nearest him and the air around his outstretched palm took on a sudden chill. The young leaves on the branch shriveled and fell away as the bark became encrusted in a thin layer of frost. As quickly as it appeared, the faint ice-blue of the newly minted sorcerer's power faded away, and he stepped back to admire his work.

"Fam!" the spiky-haired blond exclaimed, leaping to his feet in disbelief. "That was awesome!"

"Wow!" Caroline's daughter chuckled. Though the wizard could tell it was not entirely out of joy. There was a trace of something else… Shock? Disappointment? Envy? "Who knew you actually had it in you, Sebastian?" Abigail thought out loud.

Sebastian, still staring at his hand and the results of his magical power, grinned like a small child who had been given sweets for the first time. "I - I did it!" But his face fell as soon as he looked up to see the farmer with a strange expression on her face. Ugh, if this boy was going to dampen his magical ability because some girl was unimpressed, he was going to have to intervene.

"What's wrong, Violet? Isn't this great?" Sebastian questioned the friend of the Junimos, the happiness in his voice almost palpable.

Violet nodded quietly, but approached the tree that Sebastian had chosen as his target. "It's great, Sebastian, but… I think you killed my pomegranate sapling," she whispered solemnly, her voice cracking from the anguish of losing her only fruit-bearing tree.

The sorcerer balked, unsure of what to say. Clearly this was not the reaction he anticipated. Twisting her face, the friend of the forest looked as if she were holding back a great deal of frustration. Rasmodius decided that now might be best to take his leave after all.

* * *

Alex rounded the corner of the mountain path down toward Fairy Rose Farm and coasted downhill in a jog to make sure he would be able to make the turn toward town without sliding in the fine layer of dirt. The last thing the athlete needed was an injury right over something stupid before he even made his big break. Dusty trotted at his master's heels happily, his pink tongue lolling out to one side and his tail wagging behind him.

As the spiky-haired brunet reached the path Violet cleared for him through the property, he noticed that the farmer and the three town weirdos were all gathered in a small clearing.

"I can't believe you killed my little pomegranate tree," the shortest among them complained to the goth guy.

"I didn't kill it!" the black hoodie-wearer insisted frantically. "It was one tiny branch and it's already thawing! Maybe the leaves will grow back?"

Alex had no idea what was going on, but he could tell that the poor bastard was in trouble with the farm girl.

"When a sapling has only three little twigs on top, one branch is a big deal!" Violet shot back, her face flushing red from exasperation. Alex noticed that Sam and Abigail had taken cover in the shelter of the pine grove, laughing at the situation from a safe distance. "Of all the things you could have touched!" Violet complained.

Better come in and save the day, Alex thought to himself. "Yo, nerds!" he called in greeting, interrupting the farm girl's shouts and causing the group to fall into an immediate and unnerving silence. He began to jog in place, "What? I'm doing my cardio…"

"Shirtless? On Violet's farm?" Sebastian replied suspiciously, eyeing the jogger and his faithful dog. What was this guy's deal? Did he seriously think that he was trying to make a move on the farm girl?

Violet waived off her friend's accusation. "Alex asked permission to do the route Maru gave him, Sebastian. Chill." Oh, farm girl is pissed! Alex thought with amusement as he saw the icy glare the woman shot her friend. The athlete wondered what caused the friction, but decided it was best not to ask in front of everyone if he wanted the scoop.

Sam's lips pursed as he tried to hold back his words, but they came bursting out anyway. "I think Seb has done enough of that today. Don't you think, V?" he chortled.

Violet's deep blue eyes rolled in their sockets. "Yeah, yeah..." The farmer turned to her friends, "I'll be back," she told them as she followed Alex toward the eastern exit of the farm toward the center of town.

Once they were out of hearing range, Alex leaned in toward Violet like he wanted to share a secret. "So what's the deal, farm girl? Trouble in paradise?" he asked unabashedly.

The woman let loose a heavy sigh. "We were messing around with some dry ice and Sebastian killed part of my only fruit tree," the farmer informed the jock. It was only half a lie, she reasoned to herself.

Alex looked disappointed. "That's it? You guys are so weird." He paused for a moment. "And what the hell is dry ice?"

* * *

The amethyst-haired woman assumed Violet was trying to distract the jock from the unnaturally dead branch on Violet's unfortunate pomegranate tree, but she noticed the spark of jealousy in Sebastian's eyes. Abigail yanked him aside, "Sebastian, it's fine. Violet's probably just using the opportunity to step away from the situation and find out if Alex saw anything he shouldn't have."

Sebastian's first reaction was defensive, "I wasn't-" he sighed, letting his balled up fists slowly unclench. While he wanted to set the record straight that he did not care to whom Violet spoke, it was not worth the effort at the moment. "Violet can talk to whoever she wants. I just want to make it clear that I didn't mean to kill the tree," he told his friend anxiously. "I wasn't thinking when I chose it to try out the stupid spell!"

Abigail reached out to touch his shoulder, "It's okay. I'm sure Violet's excited by the magic, too. She probably just wished it didn't come with the loss of her favorite tree."

The amateur sorcerer paled. "It's Violet's favorite?"

"Yeah, Violet loves pomegranates and those saplings aren't cheap." Her cerulean eyes examined the tree and she reached out to touch the rough bark of the untouched branches. "Other than the number you did on the first branch, the rest look okay," the amethyst-haired woman said, assessing the overall health of the rest of the tiny tree. "We should probably trim the dead branch just in case. Even when saplings get infested with pests at the shop, dad always trims them back to try and save them before resorting to setting it on fire to save the others from contamination," Abigail chuckled nervously.

The woman spied Violet approaching the trio without Alex, so Violet must have been satisfied that the visitor did not see anything suspicious. Abigail smirked at Sebastian and gave him a reassuring pat on the back, "I'm sure she'll forgive you someday."

I hope so, Sebastian thought. Things had been going really well today, otherwise. His obsidian eyes glanced down at his hand and he felt a cool energy pulsing through it. "I guess there's a reason I never get cold," he smiled to himself. Things were starting to make a bit of sense, but Sebastian still had so many unanswered questions. Where did these powers come from? The man's thoughts drifted to his mysterious father. Was he the source? And if not his dad, then why him?

* * *

The only other magical ability Sebastian discovered before Sam and Abigail had to head home was one most appreciated by Bruno. Abigail had tossed an acorn at Sebastian's head and when he returned fire with a pinecone, the seed pod flew through the air for about a hundred feet, which was further than the programmer usually threw. After this, the resident dog demanded a long game of fetch. Violet giggled when Bruno set the slobber-coated stick at Sebastian's feet and barked at the hoodie-clad man expectantly.

While it was cute to watch at first, Bruno was a boundless fountain of energy and Abigail decided to call it an evening. Sam was quick to agree. Violet had a sneaking suspicion that the two had plans of their own, but that did not bother her. Besides, the farmer had a long day and it would not be the worst thing if her friends left.

Once the couple took their leave, Violet overheard Abigail clarify to Sam that she was not serious when she said earlier that she was open to polygamy. "I'm more than enough for one person," the amethyst-haired woman told him, leaning her head on Sam's shoulder as they walked side-by-side toward town and disappeared into the night. While the farmer could not hear Sam's exact reply, from his tone it sounded as if he was reassuring her it was only a joke as well.

Violet turned back toward the house and saw Sebastian still lingered behind in the soft glow of the porch light. "I, uh… have your comics to return," the young man informed her awkwardly as he began to unzip his bag.

The farmer stopped him with a gentle touch. "Just bring them inside and we can swap them out for the next set," she instructed, gesturing for Sebastian to follow into the farmhouse. It would be easier to hand off the next set if he came inside anyway.

Sebastian blinked, surprised that Violet was going to allow him to touch any of her things after destroying a good portion - if not entirely killing - her pomegranate tree. "You sure about that?" he inquired with an anxious laugh.

The farmer opened the creaky old door to the farmhouse and paused in the entryway. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, tilting her head to one side before disappearing into her home.

Sebastian's heart began to race again, though this time he was doubtful it was because of the nicotine patch or experimenting with spells.

* * *

Violet pulled the next four volumes from the shelf and handed them off to Sebastian, while returning the six he had borrowed back to their designated spot.

"Hey, only four this time?" Sebastian complained jokingly, taking the comics into his arms and sliding all but one into his open backpack. "What? Do I have to come back here in the middle of the night for the rest?"

"Not if you plan on finishing those four before you leave," the farmer replied with a soft chuckle.

Sebastian shrugged and sat on the couch, cracking open the first of the newly borrowed volumes. His obsidian orbs traveled back and forth, following the flow of the story across the pages.

"I wasn't serious!" Violet hollered, playfully trying to pull him off the couch, though her laughter told him that the farmer probably found it more funny than annoying.

"If you want to kick me out, just say so and I'll leave," Sebastian told her, his eyes not looking away from the page.

For some reason she could not explain, Violet found Sebastian's intent to focus oddly attractive. Was it weird she wanted to watch him read her favorite series? The young woman wanted to know what Sebastian thought of it, study his facial expressions and guess which part of the plot he was currently reading. Maybe they could talk about it when he finished...

Feeling eyes upon him, Sebastian glanced up to look at Violet and their gazes locked on one another. For a moment the two sat in silence, unspeaking and still.

He had such beautiful eyes, like the rich, deep vastness of the night sky. Violet was not sure how long they sat there, but eventually self-consciousness took over and she averted her stare, hiding her face with her ponytail. "Are you sure you don't have the 'mesmerizing glare' spell after all?" she asked Sebastian bashfully.

Not only did Violet know the correct spell name, but the low-level sorcerer found the heat rising in his face when he caught on to her meaning. "I… don't think so," he replied sheepishly, clearing his throat, and returning his attention to the inked pages in his hands. "It only seems to happen with you."

The comic book nerd heard shuffling as Violet rose to her feet and before Sebastian could process what was going on, the farmer was already halfway to her room. "I have to go to the bathroom," she excused herself. "I'll be right back!"

Sebastian heard the door close quickly. "Was it something I said?" he wondered aloud. Bruno barked as if in answer, though the human could not understand.

* * *

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Violet?!" the farmer whispered in panic to herself in the bathroom. She looked into the mirror and saw that her face was radish red. "Did you seriously think that inviting Sebastian inside to hang out alone was a good idea?" she reprimanded her reflection. Okay, maybe she had originally only intended from him to come in and borrow some books, but she had not kicked him out when he promised to leave if she asked.

Violet could practically feel her heart attempting to escape the prison of her rib cage. Leaning against the cool wall, the young woman allowed herself to slowly slump to the floor. The farmer removed the hair tie from her head since it got in the way of her resting her head against the wall. Shaking the pastel waves out with her hand, Violet slipped the hair tie over her hand onto her wrist for later.

"Just… chill out for a little bit," she told herself calmly. Violet wondered to herself how she could find both Sebastian's cocky, confident smirk and his quiet confession that she was the only girl whose eyes he lost himself. It was not fair! Couldn't her mind just stick to a type? That would make this so much easier.

The woman sighed heavily. "Who am I kidding?" she thought to herself. She was not particularly into one-dimensional characters in books, comics, or video games, so why the hell would she in her real life? As infuriating as it was at times, Violet found herself enjoying the facets of Sebastian's personality. And maybe she was wrong, but… he seemed to enjoy her company, too.

What was worse was that she could not even justify her outburst for damaging the pomegranate tree. Once Abigail pruned the dead branch, the sapling appeared to be just fine. Maybe she had been a little overly dramatic. Sebastian was so thrilled about a successful spell and she had to go and ruin it over a single tree branch. "I'm an idiot," she cursed to herself quietly. "Why couldn't I just be excited for him like Sam and Abigail?" Violet groaned.

After taking a few more soothing breaths, Violet resolved to be a better friend and stepped out of the bathroom into her bedroom. She eyed the comfy shirt laying out on her bed. The soft cotton called to her. Violet decided to change into her pajamas to get more comfortable before stepping out into the living room to rejoin Sebastian. Just because he was loitering in her house did not mean she had to stay in jeans all evening, right?

* * *

Sebastian began to worry when Violet did not return right away, but he soon heard the bathroom door click open and the rustling on the other side of the wall in Violet's room. For a moment, he wondered if she had forgotten he was there and decided to go to sleep, but shortly after she emerged in his old, slightly oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts. For a brief moment, the shorts were entirely covered by the shirt and looking up, Sebastian thought Violet had stepped out of her bedroom, hair unbound and wearing only his shirt. The idea, though proven entirely incorrect when the shorts became apparent as she walked across the room, clung to his mind like a parasite.

He felt a stirring in his body and panicked that Violet would notice. Fuck! Sebastian knew he had to either find a kill switch to get his mind out of the gutter immediately or escape. The young man paused, wondering if perhaps Violet had changed her mind and was doing this to entice him. He shook his head vigorously, his bangs flopping to and fro against the side of his face. No, if she intended it that way, Violet would have informed him. Sebastian literally invited himself to stay longer by sitting down to read, so who was he to say she could not get more comfortable?

Reading. Right! He focused his attention back on the manga Violet had leant him and as Sebastian became more engrossed with the plot, his body relaxed. "This Izumi is pretty badass," he said casually.

"Isn't she?!" Suddenly Violet leaned over the back over the couch to read over his shoulder. Sebastian had not been prepared for this level of enthusiasm over a minor character. "She's one of my favorites. Just wait till you meet the General! That's still a ways off, though."

Sebastian's eyebrow rose quizzically and he lowered the comic to rest in his lap. "The General?" His head turned to face her and he realized how close Violet stood behind him.

Violet placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head back to the book in front of him. "Just read!" she ordered with a little laugh.

The young man was suddenly grateful that Violet was not facing him since she was reading over his shoulder. Absentmindedly, Sebastian's fingers brushed up against his face where the farmer had just touched him and he felt his heart begin to race as the warmth of her breath tickled the tiny hairs on the back of his neck.

She must have sensed something was off, because Violet stepped back and apologized. "Sorry, it's rude to read over people's shoulders."

Sebastian could hardly reply. "I-it's okay…" he assured her shakily. Dammit… He needed to leave ASAP but the black-clad man felt his body tense up from nervousness. Violet looped around the couch to stand in front of him and he covered his lap with the comic book just in case.

Violet tilted her head to the side as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Is everything okay, Sebastian? You look a little… nauseous."

The black-haired man nodded, finding himself unable to speak at the moment. Even if it was a lie, at least it would give his friend something else to focus on. But Violet focused intently on him out of concern. "Maybe all the magic experiments were too much?" she mused. The farmer rose to her feet. "I'll get you something to settle your stomach!"

The woman quickly hurried to the kitchen and Sebastian did the only sensible thing he could think of at the moment. He fled, opening the door and darting out to the porch to get some fresh air.

After a few deep, cleansing breaths, the muscles in his body relaxed. Sebastian thought it was better to leave now with a fake illness than go back inside and explain himself. At least he still had the comic still in his hand. He would have to come back for his bag another time.

The deception still made Sebastian feel a pang of guilt, however, so he looked around for something he could do for Violet as a minor apology for leaving so abruptly. The fruit tree matter would have to be resolved another way. She liked sushi, too. If he got some for the two of them that would be a win-win, right?

In his search, Sebastian noticed the watering can was mostly empty. He considered just refilling it for her the old-fashioned way, but as a newly minted sorcerer, the young man remembered that "create water" was a low-level spell he could try. The man closed his eyes and cleared his mind, imagining the watering can filling up slowly from a small, invisible waterfall. To Sebastian's delight, when he opened his eyes, the watering can was filled to the brim. He smiled triumphantly before heading off home, feeling a sense of pride in learning something new and expanding his repertoire of spells.

As the light of the waning moon shimmered on the water within the can, it gave off a misty purple aura for a moment before going completely still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized this fic is 6 months old today! :D


	4. Occupational Hazards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet misses her grandparents. Sebastian shares with Maru that he wants to know more about his biological father. The farmer provides Harvey with some back-up. Maru and Alex discuss his progress and inadvertently discover that Violet and Sebastian's friend group is hiding something. Harvey has regrets.

When Violet began her work the next morning, she was surprised to find her watering can filled. The farmer had forgotten to top it off after giving the last of her new seeds a nice drink yesterday, so someone else must have done it for her. She wondered if it was Sebastian, who had disappeared in a hurry the night before.

 _He must have felt really sick if he left in such a rush._ Violet reasoned. _He even left his backpack behind!_ But then why would he have stopped to fill up her watering can? Or maybe he just did it earlier and she had not noticed? Violet found it strange that she had not heard the squeak of the front door when Sebastian made his exit, however. The hinges had been noisy lately, but no sound alerted the house's occupant of her guest's departure. So when she turned around to find Sebastian missing, Violet assumed he had run to the bathroom. By the time she realized he was no longer in the house, Sebastian was long gone.

Well, either way, the farmer decided she needed to get her work done before the summer sun rose too high into the sky. Violet went down the first line of crops and carefully sprinkled the water over half of her blueberry bushes and hops when Bruno tackled her to the ground out of nowhere. The large dog gave a warning bark, placing his furry body between his master and the watering can as its contents spilled out into the dry soil. "Bruno!" the farmer scolded, but the canine continued to growl at the tin can as if it were an intruder. "What's gotten into you, Bru-Bru?" she asked her beloved German Shepherd, ruffling the fur on the top of his head.

Once the vessel was empty, Bruno seemed to smile up at Violet, panting happily and giving his human's hand a little lick before he trotted off toward the more overgrown parts of the farmland. The farmer shook her head and muttered complaints under her breath about the inability to talk some sense into her canine companion. Approaching the small pond just beyond her garden, Violet submerged the watering can and hauled it back so she could tend to the field.

Due to Bruno's odd behavior and her comparatively increased budget between Summer and Spring, it took much longer for Violet to complete her chores than it had in a while. After all, the last week of Spring she did not have a fully planted garden to tend, while Violet began this Summer with quite the spread! The work was not as exhausting as the previous day, however. Violet wished she could clear a bit more land on the farm, but it was incredibly inefficient with her current axe. The young woman decided her next tool upgrade would be for her axe, once she had the funds.

Once she was done, Violet wiped the sweat from her brow and admired the farm. It was definitely still a work in progress, but the young woman felt as though the start to the Summer had gone smoothly. Things would only get easier with the more experiences she had and someday everything about being a farmer would just be second nature. Violet did hope to someday get some sprinklers, since that would also save her time, but the stubborn part of her did not even want to bother with the standard sprinklers. No, until she could get the quality sprinklers, Violet was committed to manually hydrating the little plants. It was nice to see their progress day-to-day, all the little leaves sprouting up out of the ground where before there had only been a tiny seed.

Violet was slowly beginning to understand why her grandparents chose this life. Carrying on their legacy was a way of getting to know them, she thought, even after their passing. Despite not being able to give her grandparents a proper good-bye before they passed, the idea comforted Violet. They were still with her, long after their deaths. Perhaps that is why grandpa gave her the deed to the farm. He knew his granddaughter would need an opportunity to establish deep, healthy roots of her own since her life lacked the chances with her own home life. It was the most precious gift they could have bestowed upon her.

Violet smiled as the gentle summer breeze caressed her face. "Thank you both..." she whispered to the wind, a tear running down the side of her face, “I miss you."

* * *

"Sebastian, I made some extra scrambled eggs, if you want any breakfast," Maru called down into the basement. Her brother had a terrible habit of skipping meals, but as someone who shared a living space, Maru noticed ever since he started using the nicotine patches Sebastian had been slowly eating more. Nicotine could suppress appetite, so it made some sense that as the tapering lessened the amount he had in his system each day her older brother would start to eat normally again. It also meant he would occasionally sneak into the kitchen and snatch up the first edible thing available to him. At least this way, Sebastian would eat something healthy to start his day off right.

Maru heard the heavy plod of Sebastian's feet on the stairs and she knew her brother was taking her up on the offer of a hot breakfast. He peered out of his room and nearly fell backward when he saw his sister standing right in front of him, but she grabbed the sleeve of his shirt just in time. "Rough night?" the young woman asked her brother, noticing the bags under his eyes.

"I just couldn't sleep..." he muttered, inching past her to head toward the kitchen. Maru followed him, curious of the cause. "Did something happen?" she queried.

Sebastian looked annoyed. "I said I just couldn't sleep, can't you just accept that?" he complained as he got out a plate and served himself the remaining scrambled eggs from the pan. He sat down at the table, and Maru took the seat across from him.

"Well, I didn't hear you come in last night," Maru informed her brother, leaning her elbow onto the table and resting her chin in her palm. "I usually hear the little bell on the shop door, even if it's late..."

Her brother furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about?" he replied. "I came in at like 10:00 last night." He shoved some of the eggs into his mouth, but continued speaking. "Besides, why do you care so much about when I get in at night?"

Maru did not answer right away, however. She seemed troubled by something. Her warm brown eyes glanced at her brother. "You really came in before I was asleep last night?" she reiterated her question from a slightly different angle.

Sebastian shrugged, "I don't know what time you fell asleep, but I got back here around 10:00. You can even ask Violet about when I left if you really don't believe me."

The young woman's expression changed drastically. "Oh, so you were with Violet. No wonder you couldn't sleep."

"What's that supposed to mean?" her older brother demanded to know. "She stayed at her house and I came home!"

Maru chuckled, knowing that she got under his skin a little. "I wasn't implying anything in particular," she assured Sebastian. "I've just noticed that the darkening of the circles under your eyes happen to follow the evenings you spend sharing Violet's company."

Her brother's face reddened, but he stabbed another mouthful of his eggs with the fork and shoved them in to avoid talking. Maru knew she was on the right track with this one. "What adorable thing did you do to embarrass yourself this time, big bro?" the scientist teased.

Sebastian reacted in a novel manner, however. His dark eyes downcast, he stared at his open palm in his lap. "If you must know..." he began hesitantly. "I was... actually thinking about dad." Her older brother tugged at the cord of his hoodie. "My biological father - I mean," Sebastian clarified.

Maru blinked, honestly surprised. "Oh..." That was not an answer she would have even thought of as a possibility. "I guess mom still hasn't explained what happened, huh?"

The dark-haired man nodded, finishing the last of the scrambled eggs. "Yeah..." he muttered, collecting his dishes and bringing them to the sink to wash. "She said she'd tell me by the end of the year, but I wonder if I can be patient enough."

The woman hesitated. "I know it's frustrating for you, but I'm sure Mom has a reason," Maru assured her brother.

Without turning to face his sister, Sebastian shrugged, rinsing off the last of the detritus from the plate. "I guess. It doesn't make it any easier on me, though."

"Well, if you ever need anyone to just talk to about it, let me know," Maru told him. "I know I can't give you the answers you want about your dad, but I'm happy to chat." She glanced at the clock and shouldered her bag containing her work clothes and a packed lunch. "Either way, I need to head off to work."

As the young woman headed toward the front door, her brother stopped her. "Hey, Maru..." The scientist turned to face Sebastian, who avoided her gaze for a moment. "I uh... left Violet's in a hurry last night. Could you get my bag from her after you finish your shift?" He glanced up to see Maru's quizzical expression. "I have some work I need to get done today and since you'll already be in town..."

Maru beamed, glad that her brother was finally willing to lean on her for help, even if it was to run a small errand. "Of course, big bro. Do you have her number? I'll text her to work out the details."

* * *

Violet removed her shoes before she stepped onto the beach, feeling the warm sand between her toes as it shifted under her weight as she approached the shoreline. Maru told her Alex would be here, so once she handed off the bag, Violet decided she would stick around the beach to craft some crab pots and do some foraging and fishing. Perhaps the sea breezes would help lift her mood.

As Maru predicted, Alex was on the beach, tossing his gridball up into the air and snatching it just in time before it could fall to the ground. "Oh, hi, farm girl!" he called over to her.

The farmer approached the jock and scowled. "Please tell me you're just being obnoxious and that you didn't actually forget my name."

Alex smirked teasingly. "Um, it's Violet, right?" The young woman could tell from the mischievous glint in his eyes he was only feigning forgetfulness. When the farmer did not laugh at his joke, he shrugged. "I'm just enjoying this great weather, Violet," he explained, gesturing to the bright sun overhead with a jerk of his head.

"It's hard not to enjoy a day like this," Violet agreed, holding her sunhat in place against the gust of wind blowing along the beach. The sounds of the far-off cries of the seagulls and the pounding of the surf onto the shore were soothing. Violet relaxed a bit as she closed her eyes to enjoy the smell of the salty air. "I can see why you chose to come to the beach today."

The athlete stretched his arms up, resting his hands behind his head. "I can work on my tan and train at the same time," he explained. "And the view is great," Alex added, glancing across the beach and resting his gaze on a sunbathing Haley. Violet resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Besides," the jock added, removing his letter jacket to reveal a slightly sweaty tank top. "Maru said it's better to run on sand to keep me on my toes. Something about it needing more energy because sand isn't as solid."

"You seem to be taking the training Maru's given you really seriously," Violet observed, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ears. "That's impressive that you've been keeping at it."

"Of course I take it seriously," Alex responded, as if he could not believe anyone would think otherwise. After a moment of silence, Alex's face broke out into a grin. "Hm... Hey, go long!" he ordered, pumping his arm back to throw his gridball.

Violet sprinted away from the jock as quickly as she could, still holding onto her straw hat. When she turned, the ball was already careening down toward her and slipped through her outstretched fingers. The gridball made a loud thud into the sand before it rolled toward the incoming tide.

"Heh... Nice try," the brunet commented, his tone suggesting he had not expected Violet to catch the ball. "I'm going to be the first professional gridball player from Stardew Valley... There's no doubt in my mind." Violet noted to herself that it did not seem like anyone else was aiming to be a gridball star in town, so the accomplishment would be merely because he was the first to attempt and succeed, but the farmer did not want to rain on Alex's parade. While the young woman would never seek the kind of fame and fortune associated with professional sports, Violet had to respect that Alex had a lofty goal and was doing everything in his power to pursue it.

"I already led my school's team to the regional playoffs..." he informed Violet with a nostalgic expression on his well-tanned face. "Now I'm just training and getting stronger so I can claim my spot on the roster of the ZuZu City Tunnelers. You just wait!"

Violet could not help but smile back, Alex's confidence was contagious. "I believe in you!" she told her neighbor, and Violet could honestly say she meant it. Between Maru's training regimen and Alex's dedication to his dream, Alex really did have a chance.

The brunet flashed a charming grin to the farmer, his white teeth stark against his sun-kissed skin. "Thanks, Violet. I'll remember that." Before either of them could speak again, an alarm went off on Alex's phone. "Oh, shit! I've gotta head to work." He trotted over to where his gridball still lay in the sand and scooped it up and threw his letter jacket over his shoulder. "Hey, I hate to ask since I'm supposed to be doing you a favor, but could you just go ahead and drop off the bag in my room? I don't want to be late for my shift..."

Violet pretended to consider as payback for earlier when Alex acted like he did not know her name. When he started anxiously tugging at his letter jacket, the farmer finally let his out of his misery. "Sure thing," Violet replied. It was not as if she had any solid plans today. The work that needed immediate attention was already done for the day and the crab pots could wait a while. "Just set it inside your room?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah, just put it somewhere where granny or gramps won't trip over it," he requested, rushing off toward town. "Thanks!"

* * *

Violet approached the handsome blue house on 1 River Road and noticed the bronze owl guarding the dwelling above the entrance. Its eyes were piercing and wise, as an owl's should, the farmer decided. Next to the doorway hung a purple hanging planter, home to an assortment of variegated string plants. Perhaps once she became friendly enough with Evelyn, the elderly woman might give her some gardening tips for her non-edible plants. No one came to answer after knocking on the door, so Violet entered the Mullner household to drop off Sebastian's bag in Alex's room like he had instructed.

Inside, Violet heard the voice of Dr. Harvey and as she passed the living room she spied the doctor, with his brunet hair swept off to the right side of his head and his thick-rimmed glasses. "Okay, George. I want you to take a deep breath for me." The elderly man did so, inhaling slowly and releasing the breath just as evenly.

"Mmhmm... turn around, please," the mustached man instructed his patient. Mr. Mullner rotated his wheelchair around, facing the young doctor this time. After listening with the stethoscope, Dr. Harvey sighed. "George, I'll be honest with you. You need to make some changes in your lifestyle if you want to stay healthy."

Harvey adjusted his tie before he packed away his supplies into his leather bag. "I'd like you to reduce your sodium intake, and try to get some moderate exercise with your arms."

Violet has a feeling telling an old man who sat in front of the television all day would take the doctor's orders well. George proved her right.

"Hmmph... I know what's best for me," the bald man grumbled. "Who do you think you are, telling me how to live my life?"

"I'm your doctor, George. That's who I am..." _Oh, good one!_ Violet cheered silently. It was frustrating that a lot of the older generations did not respect the younger ones as adults, despite their age, but it lessened the blow to Violet personally to see that even doctors shared that struggle. Harvey continued, "And I went to school for 8 years so I could learn how to help people stay healthy."

Violet decided now would be a good time to try and sneak past the room to drop Sebastian's bag in Alex's room. However, she was caught. "Oh! I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be here..." the doctor informed the farmer, "these check-ups are supposed to be private."

"It's my fault, I shouldn't have just barged in," Violet apologized. "I was swinging by to drop something off in Alex's room and I figured it would just be a quick in and out..." The farmer began making her way down the hall toward Alex's room.

"Not so fast!" George called out to her. Violet froze, then backtracked to the living room, thinking George was about to tell at her. But the woman's assumption turned out to be false. "I'd like to get a second opinion from this young lady," George informed Dr. Harvey, crossing his arms across his chest.

The young doctor sighed in exasperation at the ridiculousness of the situation. In what way was Violet qualified to give a medical opinion? "Very well..."

Violet blinked, her dark blue eyes wide with anxiety. "I... uh... I'm not a doctor, George. Whenever I have a medical problem, I assume it's best to do your best to follow their orders." The farmer glanced toward the door to Alex's door, wishing she could just drop the bag and flee. "George should follow Dr. Harvey's advice."

"Thanks, Violet," the brunet man nodded with appreciation. Pulling on his emerald green jacket, Harvey turned to face his patient. "You see, George, I'm just trying to help you," he assured the elderly gentleman.

George's wrinkled face twisted in annoyance before he finally caved. "Fine. I'll do as you say, _doctor_." Violet snuck off to open the door to Alex's room and place the back to one side of the entrance so no one would trip over it. As the farmer left the neighbors' house, Dr. Harvey stopped her just outside.

"Thanks for your help, Violet," the doctor said gratefully. The corners of his dark eyes wrinkled slightly, as he flashed her a genuine smile. "I appreciate it."

Violet shrugged, "I didn't do anything. I'm no doctor."

Harvey chuckled. "You did plenty by not even attempting to diagnose the problem." He removed the glasses from his face, and removed a cleaning cloth from his pocket to wipe off a smudge before placing them back upon his face. "It's hard enough when the elderly don't respect my professional opinions."

The woman sighed to commiserate. "Yeah, it's the worst," Violet agreed, "and I'm not even a 'professional.'"

"Oh, I did not mean to insinuate that your work isn't also important," Harvey apologized quickly. "Everyone needs to eat, and you're providing local, healthy crops. The residents of Pelican Town are lucky to have you."

A friendly grin formed on Violet's face. It was good to know that she was not the only awkward one in town sometimes. "I didn't think you meant it that way, no worries."

Harvey nodded appreciatively at the feedback. "I - uh... see you have been taking my advice," he commented, continuing their conversation and gesturing at the hat on Violet's head.

"It was my grandfather's, I think," Violet confessed. "But I thought it would be easier to make friends in town if I didn't look like a lobster. I'd hate for Gus to try and make a bisque out of me."

The doctor chuckled lightly at the joke. "Yes, I suppose that's best." He pulled back the green sleeve of his jacket to check his watch and his thick eyebrows rose when he realized the time. "Oh, please excuse me, Violet," Harvey apologized. "I have to get back to the clinic for another appointment."

Violet waved him off. "Then what are you doing talking to me?" she scolded him teasingly. Harvey took his queue and rushed westward toward the clinic. "Thanks for understanding, Violet. I'll see you around for your appointment."

 _Right, that is soon, isn't it?_ Violet remembered. The farmer was grateful for the reminder. With that, however, her business in town was finished. "Time for some crafting," she told herself, heading toward the beach. Violet looked forward to the possibility of fresh shellfish in her diet. She sensed a batch of chowder in her future.

* * *

Maru put away the last of the paperwork from the day, making sure to lock the filing cabinet before she headed for the clinic door.

"I'll see you Thursday, Maru," Dr. Harvey called to her from the back. "Thanks again for all your help. Get home safely."

The part-time nurse paused. "Oh, I'm actually going to the Mullners' house this evening," Maru informed her boss casually, folding her nurse uniform across her arm and placing it into her bag.

Dr. Harvey stepped into the waiting room, drying his hands with a fresh towel. "Are George and Evelyn alright? I just made a house call earlier today and Evelyn had her regularly scheduled appointment."

The bespectacled woman shook her head. "It's not work-related," she told her colleague. "Alex and I go over his progress from the new workout routine every Tuesday. It got to the point that Evelyn just invited me to stay for dinner while I'm there anyway." Maru let out a little laugh. "I have a feeling she's been wanting to cook for guests for a while, but George tends to scare people off," the scientist explained.

"Yes, of course..." Harvey's mustache twitched slightly as he spoke. "You're spending a lot of time with Alex lately," he replied, trying to indicate casual interest in Maru's social life. "I did not realize you two had become so close." The doctor hoped he did not let on his personal feelings regarding his co-worker's relationship with the young athlete. He screwed things up enough at the Flower Dance when Maru misunderstood the meaning of his encouraging words to Violet, which lead to Maru asking someone else to dance. Sure, Bex was a fine dancer but she wasn't Maru. Harvey did not want to let on that the party ended up to be a disappointing one for him. It was his fault for not speaking up, the doctor realized.

If Maru caught on that Harvey was taking a sudden interest in her social life, she did not let on that she knew. "I admit that at first this was just a new experiment to add a little variety to my scientific pursuits," Maru confessed. "But it's actually quite fascinating. Progress is not as linear as I would have expected." She brought her fingertips to her chin thoughtfully. "I suppose any time there is a human subject involved, there are bound to be more complex compounding factors." Her warm brown eyes looked up at the doctor. "But that's thrilling in its own way, don't you think?"

Harvey could not help but notice the sparkle in Maru's eyes when she spoke about her projects. While he could tell that working in the clinic part-time did not give his assistant the same thrill as her other pursuits, he felt counted himself lucky that she talked about her passions with him. It was then the doctor realized that Maru was expecting an answer from him. "Uh - Y-yes, of course," he stammered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, only to push them too far that his eyelashes brushed against them, causing tiny streaks in his vision. This was one of those days he seriously considered switching to contact lenses. If only he were not so hesitant to touch his own eyes.

"Well, I'd better head out," Maru told Harvey. "I would hate to keep George from a meal."

Her boss chuckled nervously, "Yes, that would be trouble for the whole household, I'm sure..." Part of him wished she would not go, but Maru was free to spend her time with whomever she wanted. His beautiful assistant never showed romantic interest in anyone in town before, so why should he worry that he had missed his chance now? Sure, Alex had an objectively pleasing look with his tan and stylish hair, athletic physique and attention to his diet, his charisma. Not to mention he was closer to Maru's age. _Oh, no..._

* * *

After dinner, Alex led Maru to his room to discuss his progress. As usual, the overall-clad woman whipped out a spreadsheet of calculations and glanced over them, her bespectacled eyes hidden to him by the glare of the light. "You're doing better on your running times than I expected," she admitted to her companion. "With the exception of yesterday's time. Did something happen?" she queried curiously, tapping the eraser at the end of her no. 2 pencil to her lips.

Alex rolled his eyes. "Oh, that," he groaned. "Farm girl and your brother were having a fight and I had to intervene."

This tidbit of information interested Maru. "They were fighting?" she queried her friend, setting down her papers for a moment.

The brunet leaned forward onto the birch table, looking bored. "Oh, something about him killing one of her trees with dry ice or something..."

Maru paused. Dry ice was solid and mainly used for storing things to keep them cold. How on earth could Sebastian have killed a tree with it? And where did he get such a large quantity? Perhaps Alex was mistaken. "Do you mean that he poured liquid nitrogen on it?" the scientist asked to clarify.

Alex rolled his eyes, "Violet specifically said 'dry ice.' I may be an athlete, but I'm not a complete moron..."

His companion shook her head, "I wasn't implying that, it just seemed incredibly unlikely. So either you misheard, which you assure me you did not. Or..." she stopped, weighing the likelihood of the alternatives.

The jock seemed to catch on to her meaning, however. "Or farm girl was lying!" he proclaimed, sounding excited by the prospect. "What do you think they're hiding?"

Maru glanced up at Alex. It was odd that he get so enthusiastic at something other than gridball, but she was not about to shut it down. Especially when it involved her family. "I'm not sure..." the young woman admitted. "I doubt it my brother would be hiding something if they were in a relationship."

"You mean they aren't?" Alex questioned in disbelief. "They danced at the Flower Dance and he's spent the night at the farm at least once," he informed his friend. The spiky-haired brunet pouted. "Are you saying he stayed the night at her place and they didn't bang?"

Despite herself, Maru laughed at that last comment. "I think my brother would be rendered catatonic if a girl took off her clothes in his presence. But then again, I could be wrong..."

Alex felt more comfortable asking Maru questions than he did most people. She did not treat him like an idiot for not understanding. "Catatonic?"

"He would freeze up because he wouldn't know how to handle it. Like a deer in headlights," Maru explained nonchalantly, tucking her pencil behind her ear. "He's much more introverted than either of us, though I would say I'm more in the middle and you're on the extroverted end of the spectrum."

The jock mulled it over. "Huh..." He drummed his fingers on the tabletop before adding, "Do you think we can get the scoop from Sam and Abigail or should we find out another way?"

Another detail. "Oh, so Violet and Sebastian weren't alone?" Maru repeated to ensure she understood what Alex meant.

Alex nodded, "Yeah, they were literally on the ground laughing about something, so I figured it wasn't a huge deal. Probably just something embarrassing." He waggled his eyebrows. "But if they were lying, it makes me wanna know what it was!"

Maru smiled. "I agree, but let's focus on making a plan after we've talked about your progress. Now that I know you stopped during the run yesterday, I may as well remove the time from the set so it does not skew the rest of the data."

"Sure, whatever you think is best, Glasses."

The scientist looked up at her athletic companion. "You can call me by my name, you know," Maru reminded Alex firmly. She did not want to be reduced to her corrective lenses.

Blinking, Alex tilted his head to one side. "I've always called my friends nicknames. Would you prefer a different one?" He glanced away self-consciously. "Or, you know... Maru works just fine. It is your name..."

Interesting. "So you're trying to articulate a level of endearment by giving someone a special name that only you call them?" Alex stared at Maru blankly, which prompted her to rephrase the question. "You give people nicknames when you consider them your friend?"

Alex's face twisted slightly as he thought about his answer. "I dunno... I guess? The only friends I've ever had have all been through my sports teams and we never actually called anyone by their given name." He glanced down, his fern-green eyes tracing the grain of the wooden table. "It was fun..."

"You can call me 'Glasses,'" Maru finally replied after careful deliberation. "But only if I get to call you something of my choosing."

The spiky-haired brunet beamed at his friend. "So what's the name?" he wanted to know.

"I have not decided yet," Maru responded with a smirk of her own. "You'll just have to wait patiently and find out." She pulled the pencil from behind her ear and brought it to the page on the desk. "Now, let's get back to business, shall we? I don't think you're quite ready to audition for this upcoming season. Hear me out..."

* * *

Harvey's heart sank as he watched Alex chatting with Maru by Dusty's dog pen from his apartment window. _Had Maru really fallen for the aspiring gridball player?_ he pondered to himself silently.

Alex reached down into the pen and lifted the old dog out, rather than walking around to open the gate, and clipped a leash to Dusty's collar. Then the two walked toward the General Store and past it north toward Maru's house. "He's walking her home..." Harvey whispered to himself. Why had he never thought to do that? Then again, she never left work after dark, but it would have given them ample opportunity to discuss things that were not work-related. Suddenly the town doctor found himself filled with regrets as his chances with his smart, kind, beautiful co-worker were diminishing with each passing moment.

Perhaps if Harvey had not been so preoccupied with the ambiguous questions of asking a co-worker out on a date, he would not be facing this problem now. He moved to this small town to help an under-served community, but little did he realize that he had also signed up for a nearly non-existent love life. The doctor always told himself he could focus on things like that once he had established his career, but now that he held the title, Harvey questioned how time had passed so quickly. Was he really going to spend the rest of his life alone? Sure, some people aimed to marry doctors because they knew it would lead to a comfortable lifestyle, but a small-town doctor was basically the antithesis of that. Nor would Harvey find someone like that a desirable partner with whom to share his life.

So where did that leave him? Should he give up on his naïve ideals and move back to a large city where he was likely to find more income and dating potential? If he did not leave, what would become of him? Harvey knew he was already struggling to make ends meet with her current list of clientele. And if there was no one in town who felt comfortable with him in a social setting because of their doctor-patient relationship... the mustached man knew that he was doomed to stay a lonely man for a long time.

"Oh, what do I do?" he wondered aloud, turning away from the window to sleep for the night.


	5. Shook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Earthquake shakes the Valley. Something strange is going on with a few of the farmer's crops. Violet receives an unusual request from the Mayor. Vincent makes a bold declaration. Bruno insists on a trip up the mountain. Robin and Maru invite Violet to stay for dinner. Maru confronts Sebastian about his lies.

Violet's bed lurched in a way that made her stomach turn as she awoke with a start. The farmer sat up in her bed, scanning the darkness for any sign of who - or what - caused the movement, but after a few moments of her furniture shifting back and forth, the pastel-haired woman realized it must be an earthquake. A few books fell away from the shelves and Violet felt as if she were aboard a ship upon the ocean, but soon the tremors quickly subsided, and everything went still again. The farmer's heart still beat loudly in her chest and Violet worried another wave might be close behind. But, after about half an hour, the ground beneath her had not moved and the young woman attempted to go back to sleep.

When it became apparent to Violet that she could not rest until she checked the house and garden for damage, the farmer slipped on a hoodie and turned on the lights - which luckily still functioned - to make her rounds. Walking over to the kitchen, she could still hear the low hum of the refrigerator and the water still flowed clear out of the faucet when she flipped up the handle. A few books had fallen from the shelves, which Violet gingerly replaced and some of the furniture had shifted to the right or left several inches, but nothing major. Upon the kitchen table, Plus Ultra Violet had toppled over and lay dangerously close to the edge, but the pot remained intact and once the young woman scooped up the soil and her precious flower back inside its container, it was as if nothing had happened at all.

But Violet knew she could not be relieved until she made sure her crops were unharmed. Bruno, who seemed more confident that the tremors were over than his human, trotted at his human's heels to escort her outside - or perhaps to make sure Violet stayed safe. In the light of the waning moon, things seemed to be alright at first glance, but the farmer noticed something odd about a few plants. In the first row, some of them seemed strangely off-color compared to their counterparts of the same species. Instead of the bright green new leaves usually presented, the tiny starts to the blueberry bushes bore wine-colored leaves and the hops that seemed similarly effected were almost bronze in color. If Violet did not know any better, she could have sworn they were glowing.

The farmer shook her head, realizing that she did not have the mental capacity to deal with this right now. Perhaps this was her active imagination playing tricks on her because of an interrupted REM cycle. Bruno did not seem particularly disturbed by the strange-looking flora, so Violet decided it was best to return to bed. Patting her loyal dog on his large, fluffy head, the farmer stepped back into the house and flopped into bed. Bruno took his place at the foot of the bed and rested his snout on his human's ankles. The gesture calmed Violet and she eventually drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

Rasmodius was deeply troubled by the quake in the middle of the night, but not because of the way it shook his tower. No, the man had magical wards in place for natural disasters, though he suspected that this earthquake was not entirely natural. Earthquakes were not common in the Valley, but had he not known about the witch's swamp concealed by the mountain, the wizard might not have suspected a magical source. However, conditions being what they were, Rasmodius believed that the path he had blocked off with a convincingly natural landslide was now clear from debris.

Adjusting his telescope to view the railroad station, the wizard confirmed that the boulders were gone. So the problem was his ex-wife, the witch. While his seal on the entrance to the bog remained intact, there was now only the seal in front of the entrance that kept her away from the rest of the world. He sighed heavily. Somehow that nagging woman was going to claw her way back into his life, it was just a matter of how long he could delay the inevitable.

* * *

Penny walked toward the library to meet Jas and Vincent without taking her emerald eyes off the manuscript of Elliott's book in her hands. Though the teacher was off from educating the children during the warmer months, the young woman still wanted to ensure that Jas and Vincent did not lose all of their academic momentum during the Summer vacation. So, twice a week, Penny took the kids to the library to do some summer reading before she would take them outside to play.

While no one asked her to do it, Penny enjoyed the children's company. Penny hoped to have some of her own someday, but that did not stop her from showing her students with love and affection. Besides, it gave both Marnie and Jodi a well-deserved break. Penny was happy to help.

Normally, Penny spent her summer re-reading all of her favorite books, but this summer she had volunteered to be Elliott's editor. Not in the official sense. Though Elliott did assure her that he would bestow upon her a percentage of the profits to demonstrate his gratitude once the book was published. He was sweet that way. But really Penny had an ulterior motive in offering her services. Elliott wrote romance novels and she found she adored his style of writing. The local author was the kind of old, sensitive soul, which was hard to find in the modern man, Penny thought. Not to mention that Elliott had a breathtakingly beautiful way with words.

In her own way, it was a selfish thing to offer to edit for Elliott. It made Penny feel special that he trusted her to be the first set of eyes to examine his work. Writing was such a personal process, like baring one's soul to another. There was a sense of intimacy to it all that made Penny blush at times, especially when reading a particularly romantic scene between the main couple. She sighed as she arrived at the door of the town combination library and museum. Penny could not very well read a romance novel while sitting with the children. That would be... unprofessional. No matter how much she wanted to read Horatio and Clara's midnight rendezvous in the private cabin on the train, it would simply have to wait!

* * *

Once Violet collected her mushrooms from the cave and her maple syrup from the tapper, the farmer quickly realized that the discoloration she noticed in some of her plants were neither a trick of the light nor her imagination. While the blueberries and hops appeared healthy by the shape and rigidness of their leaves, their colors were distinctly different from that of their normal counterparts.

The farmer still watered all her crops as normal, but Violet could not help but wonder if it was merely a coincidence that the oddly-stained leaves happened to be the same ones she watered the day prior before Bruno knocked her over the rest of the watering can's contents. Just in case, the young woman took care not to touch them, but documented the peculiarities on a spare piece of notebook paper. Maybe this could be something she could ask Maru without giving away the fact that Sebastian may be the source of these weird changes. That was assuming that Sebastian had not told his family about the magic, of course. He seemed like the type of guy to keep these things close to his chest.

Violet wondered if Sebastian would have told her about what happened, if he had not passed out in her house that night. Was this something her friend suspected for a long time over the course of his life or did the magic sneak up on his out of nowhere? Now that Violet had seen some spells in action, the farmer found herself becoming more and more curious about the source. Was the entire family magical and just unaware? That would be exciting! Though the farmer realized she should probably discuss this with Sebastian before asking other members of the household about their mystical abilities. Turning her attention from the strange plants, Violet noticed that her mailbox had a note inside.

_Violet -_

_This is embarrassing... I lost my lucky purple shorts. I'm telling you because I think I can trust you._

_If you find them, bring them back to me DISCREETLY. I'll pay well._

_Thanks,_

_\- Mayor Lewis_

The young woman frowned. "Shorts, huh?" she repeated in disgust. Violet did not want to know how a grown man lost an article of clothing that belonged on his person. Part of her wanted to assume they were somewhere in his house and the mustached man simply forgot which drawer he put them. The fact that the Mayor wanted this handled discreetly made her wonder what potential scandal Lewis feared.

While she did not like the Mayor, Violet had no reason to hate him, either. She sighed in annoyance. If I happen to find them, so be it. I'm not going to go out of my way to get them, though..." she told herself. The farmer noticed her dog play bowing at her with a large stick in his mouth. She laughed. "Okay, boy. I'll play with you, but we're going to need to find something smaller for me to throw..."

After a while, the German Shepherd grew tired of the game of fetch. Violet figured that after Sebastian's magically enhanced launches, his own human's fetch skills paled by comparison.

Bruno wagged his tail and barked in Violet's general direction, as if he wanted her to follow. It was not as if she had any other solid plans that day, so why not? "Alright, Bruno. I'm coming," the young woman assuring her loyal canine companion. "I only have two legs!"

* * *

Vincent sat impatiently at the table he shared with Miss Penny and Jas, his little heels clacking against the legs of the chair beneath him. Reading was okay, the little boy supposed, but it was not nearly as fun as digging in the dirt to find worms and bugs. The bigger, the better!

The child stole a glance at Miss Penny and flashed a goofy grin when she smiled back at him. Miss Penny had the prettiest smile in the whole wide world. Even though she was his teacher, she did not treat him like a baby. Mom always yelled at him for doing cool stuff. Like the last time mom took him to the beach. How was playing with the broken bottles he found on the beach so wrong anyhow? They were in fun shapes and the edges were really pointy and shiny! Not to mention the bottles made a fun clacking sound when he hit them together. And when held them up to the light, they made the ground all colorful. Maybe he could still find some if he went to play on the beach right now. Or better yet, a giant squid!

He could not go to the beach without Miss Penny's dismissal, though. The tiny strawberry blond sighed, closing his book. "I'm done, Miss Penny!" Vincent announced, turning to slide down from his seat.

Miss Penny stopped him before his feet touched the ground. "Could you please tell me about the book you read, Vincent? I would love to hear about it!"

Aw, shucks. He had been caught. The child laughed nervously and uttered the first idea that came to his mind. "Well, uh - It was about a pirate with TWO eye patches and a cannon for a leg!" Vincent exclaimed, making pow-pow noises as he flailed his left leg toward the ceiling. "And Green Hook flew his flying space boat into the sky to fight the dinosaurs that live on the moon and breathe fire and shoot lasers out of their eyes!"

Miss Penny laughed. She had the best laugh ever, Vincent said quietly to himself. He wanted to make her laugh all the time and make her happy. "You have a wonderful imagination, Vincent," she praised the boy. "But I don't think that a book about a dog has any pirates or dinosaurs like the one you described."

Vincent frowned, knowing his teacher was not going to let him off the hook. His moss green eyes lit up with terror when he saw Miss Penny's stack of papers on the table in front of her. "Is that a test?" he asked in horror. "I thought we didn't have to take any tests during the Summer!"

Miss Penny laughed. "It's a manuscript," she explained quietly, so not to disturb Jas' concentration. "It's what the rough draft of a book looks like before it's published."

The teacher's words caught Jas' attention anyway. "Are you writing a book, Miss Penny?" the little girl asked, a sparkle in her dark grey eyes.

"Oh, goodness no," the brunette told her students. "Elliott is writing a book and I volunteered to be an editor," their teacher clarified.

"What's an 'editor'?" Jas wondered aloud, tilting her head off to one side. "Is it like a princess?"

Vincent put forth his own idea. "Is it a dragon?!" His question made Miss Penny laugh again. That was the best part of his jokes.

"An editor is someone the author trusts with their life and livelihood," a melodious voice chimed in from the other side of the room. The trio at the table turned to see it was the man with long, pretty hair and funny clothes that lived on the beach. The man looked at Miss Penny in a way that Vincent did not like. "And I would have never made it this far in my progress without Miss Penelope's assistance. She has proved to be an essential influence in my creative process."

Vincent noticed Miss Penny's face looked all sunburnt from the man's fancy words and the little boy felt the jealousy rise in him. "What brings you here, Elliott?" Penny inquired bashfully. Her eyes darted to the stack of papers on the table. "I'm afraid I haven't finished editing the manuscript."

The tall man tucked his hair behind his ear. "I did not seek you out for business purposes, Miss Penelope," Elliott confessed. He hesitated before taking something out of the inner pocket of his coat and offering it to the brunette. "It is my way of thanking you for all your efforts." His amber eyes glanced downward toward the floor for a moment. "I know it's not much, but I hope you will accept it as a token of my gratitude..."

Miss Penny took the present wrapped in brightly colored paper and fancy ribbon as her face got all pink again. Vincent's dark eyes glanced up at the man and he recognized the funny look on his face was the same as when his big brother looked at Abigail. Trusting someone with your life sounded an awful lot like getting married and that was a major problem in Vincent's life plans.

Vincent panicked and hopped down from his chair to grab Elliott by the arm. "We're busy right now, come back later!" he insisted, attempting to drag the adult male with all his might. The long-haired man laughed at the boy's efforts but nodded.

"It seems your pupil has spoken," Elliott chuckled with a smile. He turned his head back toward the teacher. "Perhaps we can arrange a meeting for another time?"

"Miss Penny is too busy!" the child in the striped t-shirt shot back, still escorting the author toward the door.

It was strange to see her student so motivated to do a reading assignment. Penny wanted to scold Vincent for being rude, but Elliott seemed more amused by the boy's antics than offended, so the woman let it slide. Though she did hate to see Elliott go, especially immediately after presenting her with a gift.

Once Vincent had Elliott outside and out of hearing range of those still inside the library, he thrust his finger toward the man's face and stared him down. "I'm gonna marry Miss Penny some day!" the child declared confidently. "If you wanna marry her, too, that makes us rivals, mister!"

Elliott held back his desire to laugh at the the adorable proclamation, as it would almost assuredly insult the boy. The man raised his eyebrows. "Well, Mister Vincent, that is indeed quite the statement of intent," the silky-haired man admitted. The poet pondered for a moment before continuing. "While I do believe you still have some years ahead of you before you may marry, I can see that you are quite taken with your teacher and hope to win her affections." He offered a hand to Vincent, who eyed it warily. "In that case, I accept you as my rival, though I cannot say that I have even considered joining hands with Miss Penelope in holy matrimony. We are both taking time to mend our broken hearts and have yet to truly court one another, you see." The man shook his head. "Not that I am opposed to the idea. Miss Penelope is a lovely, charming woman whom I admire greatly..."

Vincent became impatient as the author continued. He did not understand most of those words, but the important part was that Elliott acknowledged him as a rival. The strawberry blond took the author's hand to shake. "May the best man win!" he said, interrupting Elliott's rambling.

"To whomever Miss Penelope chooses..." Elliott agreed with a solemn nod before turning his heels to both conceal his expression of amusement and return home. Once he was sure the man was leaving, Vincent returned back inside to finish his summer reading with a new sense of responsibility. If he wanted to impress Miss Penny, he would have to try really hard to focus on his schoolwork. Much to his annoyance, however, Jas brought his new rival up almost immediately.

"Do you think Mister Elliott is a prince, Miss Penny?" Jas asked their teacher, staring out the window dreamily. "He looks like one from my fairy tale book!"

Penny thought for a moment. "I suppose he does look princely, doesn't he?" she agreed with her student, eyeing the unopened present now resting in her lap. The woman had decided to wait to open it until she was alone, though she was quickly regretting that decision as her curiosity only grew exponentially as time passed.

The little boy at the table frowned deeply. "What about me?" Vincent wanted to know. "Do I look like Prince Charming?"

"Of course, Vincent," Penny said to placate the child, touching his arm encouragingly. "You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up." The latter part of that sentence did not go unnoticed by Vincent. _When you grow up..._ His dad gave him the responsibility of being man of the house while he was away. Vincent knew that he was very grown up, he just... wasn't very tall yet. But he ate his vegetables! ... If they weren't the icky green kind.

Jas did not follow her teacher's example and interfered with Vincent's sulking. Her nose scrunched up in emphasis as she cried, ""Ew, no! You have cooties Vincent, you can't be a prince!"

Penny scolded Jas for her commentary, but the conversation between her two students quickly devolved into childish bickering. Finally, Penny surrendered, suggesting that they finish their summer reading for the day and go outside to play.

"Yay!" Vincent cheered, forgetting all about his book and rushing out the door into the great outdoors. Penny and Jas giggled at his behavior and gathered up their things before joining Vincent outside.

"I still think you should marry a prince, Miss Penny," Jas informed her as they exited the library, giving Gunther a small wave as they left the building. "You would make the most beautiful princess."

Her students were darling, Penny reflected happily. "That's very sweet of you, Jas. But there are no princes in our country," she explained. "The king peacefully abdicated the throne without an heir decades ago, after the tragic loss of his younger brother. That is why we have the form of government we have today." The teacher patted Jas' shoulder. "I was going to wait a few years before teaching you children about it, but if you are interested, I could plan a lesson around it for you both."

"Well, that's silly," Jas protested, clearly disinterested in the actual way the country was governed. "Why would anyone give up being royalty?" The little girl plucked a flower from the ground and put it in her hair before going off to play. "I would want to be a queen forever!"

* * *

Upon following Bruno up the mountainside, Violet found a new trail that she had not noticed before. Perhaps the earthquake had cleared the path? No matter the reason, her enormous fluffy dog bound up the stairs into an area unknown to the farmer.

Much to her surprise, there was a strange building that at first appeared to be a greenhouse from the glass ceiling and greenery within. However, upon further inspection, Violet realized that the sign above the door said "Bath" in large sans-serif letters. While she had never been to one before, the young woman speculated if this place was built upon a natural hot spring.

Peeking inside the building, it was in ill-repair, judging by the cracks in the wall and the general grime on the tiles. However, the steamy main room that held the bath itself seemed to be doing just fine. Perhaps next time she headed up this way, Violet could bring her swimsuit and relax in the spa for a bit? The farmer left the building quickly to make sure Bruno did not wander off too far. Luckily, he had remained at the front door of the bathhouse and barked happily upon her return outside.

"Such a good boy!" the pastel-haired woman praised her dog. Bruno's tail thumped again the dirt ground and Violet laughed at the way his back rippled as she scratched along his spine. Bruno uttered an "Ooo-ooo-oooh!" to express his approval at the attention.

Once Bruno had enough, the two continued to explore the area. A lot of it was overgrown with tall grasses and the trees were exclusively pine. It was then Violet noticed the railroad tracks and a small railway station just beyond it. "I wonder if they used this to transport all the ores from the old mine?" Violet postulated as she stood along the tracks. The farmer was not sure if the railroad was still in use, but Violet decided it was best not to chance it and linger. Beyond the tracks was the station, but it looked as if it had not been in use for a long time, either. Violet began to wonder how long this section of town had been blocked off to the residents of Pelican Town.

The young woman heard barking further north and followed the sound until she found Bruno, spurring her to continue up the mountainside. He hopped the low ledge and looked at her expectantly, his pink tongue hanging out of his smiling mouth. "You really want to explore today, don't you Bruno?" she asked him with a chuckle. "If you insist..."

Violet needed a bit more time to lift herself over the small ridge than Bruno had with his four powerful legs, but eventually she got herself up. Bruno barked and continued northward. There was no path for a while and Violet was concerned that she would be lost among the pine trees and bushes, but soon a new trail appeared ahead of her. Once Violet's was sure that his human was nearby, he bounded up the trail ahead of her once again. She could not help but laugh at Bruno's behavior, though she was curious if there was anything the German Shepherd wanted her to see. Where was Bruno taking her?

The path snaked back and forth for some time, though Violet had to admit she enjoyed the hike. Pine was one of her favorite scents and the trees grew more densely the further they headed up the mountain. The birds and woodland creatures could be heard on all sides, tweeting and chattering about among the pine needles. Maybe Bruno just wanted to chase something where the animal population was greater than at the farm?

Violet was not sure how long she had been hiking up the mountain when the path made a turn north and the incline became greater than before. Bruno came back down the trail toward her and licked her hand encouragingly. "Is this where you wanted to go?" she asked her dog curiously.

Bruno woofed in answer and nudged her with his snout. Violet obeyed like a good sheep for her shepherd and followed the old dirt path until it simply stopped at the edge of the world.

It was the summit, Violet realized, as she gazed down at the verdant mountainside stretching out for miles below. There were other smaller valleys between the peaks of the mountain range, but the sight of the vast spread of wild, untouched nature was absolutely breath-taking. At her feet lay thousands of tiny white flowers for which Violet did not know the name. She took a few to make a flower crown, much like she had to help Emily prepare for the Flower Dance. It was as if that event last week awakened her love for a touch of whimsy here and there. She made two crowns, one for herself and one for Bruno, who allowed her to perch it on his head for a few seconds before it immediately fell off when he ran off after something rustling in the brush nearby.

The farmer picked up the second crown and set it upon her head as well, interweaving it with the first. It was the little things like this that made her feel a bit giddy. "You did well, Bru-Bru," Violet thanked her dog as she sat in the soft grass and admired the view. The German Shepherd was still trying to find the small creature that caught his interest. For the animal's sake, the woman hoped it knew how to hide well or had already put as much distance as it could between itself and Bruno.

After a while, Violet's loyal canine gave up on his hunt and settled down next to her. She pat his absent-mindedly as she watched the breeze create gorgeous rippling patterns among the grasses below. She could watch it all day...

"I'll bet this place is even more incredible in the fall when all the leaves change colors," she thought aloud. Perhaps a picnic was in her future, Violet hoped, humming to herself as she continued to stroke Bruno's thick fur. Her mind drifted toward the idea of bringing Sebastian up here sometime. Violet knew that he seemed to like looking at the sea when he wanted to think, but the wind gave the land below the likeness of an ocean whenever it blew across the land. "Thank you for taking me here, Bruno. I would have never considered hiking up to the summit. And today I have such handsome company!" Violet cooed, rubbing Bruno behind the ears.

The dog lay his head on Violet's lap and the two rested on the highest point in Pelican Town, watching the world drift by in peaceful silence. Violet felt restored in this place, where the earth and the sky met in harmony. "I think this might be my new favorite spot..." she confessed to Bruno. "Though if it turns out that the summit is crowded next time, I might have to change my mind," she laughed as she reluctantly rose to her feet. The sun began to set in the sky and as much Violet wanted to watch the sunset, it would be dangerous to descend the mountainside in the dark and she lacked any camping equipment to stay here the night. Besides, from the rumbling in her stomach, Violet realized she had worked up an appetite from all the hiking.

"Let's go home, shall we?" she proposed, heading down the path back toward town. Bruno paused, as if taking in the sights one last time before he trotted to his master's side.

* * *

Maru was tinkering with the adjustments on her telescope when she heard barking on the other side of the patio fence. "Alex?" Maru called out, wondering if he and Dusty were out on a stroll. But the dog that came to answer her call was not the mutt Maru expected. Instead, Bruno rounded the corner of the fence and darted onto the patio as if he were competing in an agility race. "Be careful with my equipment, Bruno!" Maru plead desperately.

"Bruno!" Violet's voice shouted disapprovingly as she came into view and grabbed the overgrown pup by the scruff of the neck. "Where are your manners?"

When the scientist realized that the danger to her telescope had passed, she relaxed. "Oh, it's okay, Violet," she assured the farmer. "I just didn't want anything to get knocked over."

Violet's cobalt eyes rested on the telescope. "So what were you looking at this evening?"

Maru smiled, clearly pleased that the farmer was taking an interest in her hobbies. "Oh, I'm trying to set up to see the Black Eye Galaxy later this evening," she shared. "It won't be visible until it gets darker out. I'll probably try right before bed tonight." The brunette returned Violet's social graces with a question of her own. "So, what brings you to the mountain this evening?"

The pastel-haired woman ruffled her dog's fur. "This big guy insisted we go hiking up the mountain," Violet explained. "We actually got up to the summit. It's absolutely gorgeous up there and I bet it would be an even better spot for your telescope."

"Oh, the landslide is cleared now?" Maru asked for clarification. "That area has been blocked off for years..." Violet was curious if Joja Corp. had anything to do with it, since they had been the source of the previous obstruction to the mines.

The farmer shrugged, "I never saw the path before today," Violet stated. "There were some train tracks and an old bathhouse..."

"That's excellent!" Maru replied enthusiastically. "That means I can study the stars more this summer..." Violet remembered all the space posters in Maru's room. This must be a passion for her.

"Well, I recommend camping up there sometime, so you don't try to walk down the mountain in the dark with an expensive and very breakable telescope..."

The scientist chuckled. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," she assured the shorter woman.

The door from Maru's room opened and Robin poked her head out onto the patio, surprising both women and the dog alike. "Oh, sorry to startle you all," Robin apologized. "Maru, dinner is ready sweetheart." The ginger glanced at Violet. "You're welcome to stay as well, Violet. I made more than enough for everyone!"

"That's okay, Robin," Violet assured the carpenter. "I really should get home to make sure Bruno gets something to eat, too."

Robin waved off the excuse. "I'm sure I can find something nice for Bruno, too, dear."

"I'm really not that hun-" Violet was cut off by the indignant growling of her stomach. Robin gave a smug, yet motherly smile as she ushered the trio on the patio into the house for dinner. Violet did not bother trying to protest anymore and just went with it. She just hoped that this would not be too awkward.

* * *

Sebastian wandered aimlessly around the mountain lake when his phone vibrated in his back pocket.

***We're about to eat. Mom invited Violet to stay for dinner. Hurry home or you'll miss out.***

The man's face went white for a moment, realizing the gravity of the situation. His entire family was sitting down for dinner with the girl he liked. Anything could happen and he would have no power to stop it simply because he was not there to put an end to their embarrassing questions. Sebastian could not recall ever running home so quickly in his life.

* * *

"Where is your brother, Maru?" Demetrius asked his daughter as they all sat down at the table for the evening meal.

Maru shrugged. "I assume he was on his usual walk around the lake, so I texted him to come home. I'm sure he'll get here soon."

"Hmmm... Reception isn't always great out here," Robin fretted. "I hope Sebby gets back in time to enjoy our guests' company," the woman added, winking at Violet as she served up the cheese cauliflower and barbeque chicken on each other the plates. "Do you think Bruno likes sauce on his chicken?" the carpenter asked the dog's owner.

Violet was unsure. "I'm not sure how he feels about sauces, but he loves anything meaty so I'm sure he'll figure it out..." As predicted, when presented with a chicken breast, Bruno wolfed it down without so much as a second thought.

"And there you have it," Robin chuckled as Bruno sniffed at the chef for more. The woman happily obliged the canine who complimented her cooking and added another piece of meat to his bowl.

The ringing of a small bell alerted everyone of Sebastian's arrival and his footsteps could be heard as he rounded the corner of the hall and burst into the kitchen. "Sorry... I'm late..." he panted, pulling up the spare chair that his mother had brought from her shop. His usual spot was taken by Violet, who sat opposite Sebastian.

Maru noticed a silent exchange between the two of them before Violet asked, "Are you feeling better today, Sebastian? You left in such a rush the other day..."

Her brother nodded. "Uh - yeah... It must have been something I ate," he replied awkwardly. "I didn't want to bother you with it."

Robin added a generous portion of food to her son's plate before taking her seat. "Oh, were you not feeling well, sweetheart?" the ginger questioned, the motherly concern coming through her tone of voice. "I wish I had known."

"It's fine, mom. It didn't last long, it was just... unpleasant," Sebastian lied. Maru knew her brother was lying from his body language and it made her wonder what made her wonder what Sebastian was hiding.

"It's strange that no one else in the family got sick, if it was something you ate," the young scientist commented, slicing the chicken into small pieces with her knife. "We all eat the same food, after all."

Sebastian's pupils widened for a moment as he scrambled for his next step. "I mean, everyone's body reacts to things a bit differently, right?" he reasoned, stuffing his mouth with food immediately afterward to give himself time to think.

Violet looked mortified, "Oh, it wasn't the fries I made, was it?" she asked, clearly distraught by the idea. "Maybe my secret spice mixture didn't agree with you?"

"That would be the only thing the rest of the family did not consume," Demetrius nodded in agreement. "That seems like the most likely answer..."

Her brother paled when Violet's expression turned to a guilty one. "No! Of course not!" he insisted, attempting to spare the farmer's feelings. "I'm sure it was something else, or maybe even a quick stomach bug!"

Clearly, Maru presumed, Sebastian was trying to avoid making Violet feel guilty, whether her cooking was indeed the culprit or not. It was cute how he wanted to protect the farmer's self-confidence. Maru liked seeing this change in Sebastian's behavior. The young woman decided to help him achieve that goal. "Well, now that I think about it, Sebastian, I asked you about those questionable leftovers on Sunday, didn't I?"

Sebastian eyed his little sister quizzically, but it did not last long. He must be wondering why she was helping him with his cover-up, Maru assumed. "Which leftovers?" Demetrius queried; his brows furrowed. "We are usually efficient in our food consumption in this household. Your mother is an excellent cook, after all," he added, sprinkling in some praise for his wife. Robin beamed at her loving spouse and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

Maru set down her utensils for a moment so she could better gesticulate with her hands without the risk of poking someone. "The container in the back of the fridge had some pumpkin soup that smelled questionable to me, but Sebby loves it so much, I thought he would know better than I."

Robin bit her lip. "Oh, it's been ages since I last made pumpkin soup," she stated uncomfortably. "That must have been ancient. I'm shock Sebby even tried it..."

"I do love your soup, Mom," Sebastian admitted bashfully. At least that part was true. That detail would play into the deception well, Maru determined. It was always good to add a dash of truth to a good lie to make it more believable.

"Mmm, pumpkin soup sounds delicious," Violet agreed. "I would love to get your take on it someday, Robin," the farmer addressed Robin.

The ginger gave the pastel-haired woman a friendly smile. "Well, bring some fresh pumpkin, come autumn, and I'll be glad to teach you the recipe." She winked at Violet, "I'm sure you can find some willing taste-testers among those at this table, too." Robin took the last bite of her meal before she asked their guest a more personal question. "So, Violet... Do you have any other visitors coming the Valley any time soon? Your friend Bex brought a breath of fresh air to the Flower Dance." She tilted her head toward her husband, "Demetrius and I learned a few new dance moves to try out on Friday nights at the Saloon."

Violet hesitated for a moment, which Maru noticed Sebastian caught as well. "Well, my older brother said he would visit soon, but he didn't specify when..." the farmer shared. "He hung up abruptly during our phone call saying something about Lewis and I haven't heard from him since."

Robin's dark eyes lit up for a moment at the mention of Violet's brother. Maru wondered what that was about. "I look forward to meeting him, whenever he does decide to visit!" Robin assured the farmer cheerfully, getting up from her seat and clearing her plate. Shortly after Robin brought out some ice cream, Violet asked if Pelican Town was on a fault line or if last night's earthquake was some kind of fluke. Which resulted in Demetrius relaying an interesting, if not tangential lecture on Pelican Town's geographic composition.

It was around nine when Bruno finally demanded to be let outside again and Violet excused herself as well. "Thank you all for inviting me into your home," the young woman thanked her hosts. "The food was excellent, Robin!"

The mother smiled at the praise from the new girl in town. "Anytime, Violet. Just give me a bit of notice so I know to make an extra helping. Besides, you are the one growing all the fresh produce now. It's the least we can do to thank our local farmer."

Violet blushed at the compliment and waved good-bye as she and her dog headed out into the night. Once their parents left the doorway, Maru grabbed her brother by the sleeve of his hoodie and lead him into her bedroom. "Okay, big bro," the bespectacled woman began, "why did you lie?"

Sebastian yanked his sleeve away from his younger sister. "What are you talking about, Maru?" he asked defensively, though his eyes avoided her gaze.

Maru sighed. "I know you and your friends weren't playing with dry ice out at the farm on Sunday," she informed her brother. "So, what were you doing?"

"Dry ice?" Sebastian responded in confusion. "Who the hell said anything about dry ice?"

Caught already... "Violet, actually," Maru stated smugly, pleased that it had not taken nearly so long to find a crack in their story since Violet and her brother were not in the same space to collaborate. "She told Alex that you all were playing with dry ice and that's what killed her tree."

The hoodie-clad man groaned as he realized his mistake. He still tried to deflect anyway. "So, I accidentally killed a single branch of her pomegranate tree," Sebastian relented. "What's wrong with my friends and I goofing around at Violet's place?"

"I don't care that you were all hanging out," Maru corrected him, taking a seat on her bed. "What interests me is that you both lied about what killed the branch - and not even a good one, since you two didn't even agree upon a convincing cover story."

Sebastian slumped onto the stool at her desk. "I accidentally burned it, okay? I was messing around a bit with a fire and I fucked up."

Maru considered this answer, "But then why did Violet say it was dry ice if the branch had caught fire? That makes no sense..."

"How I am supposed to know what goes on in Violet's head?!" Sebastian snapped back, but Maru could tell from his discomfort that she was on to something. Perhaps a small nudge?

"Okay," Maru sighed, indicating that she would drop the subject. "If you won't tell me the truth about what happened with the tree, then at least tell me why you left Violet's place so quickly the other night that you forgot your bag." Before Sebastian could answer, she added, "And don't tell me it was food poisoning or anything like that because if you accepted my help to lie to Violet, I doubt that was the reason."

"I'm not gonna talk to my little sister about that!" Sebastian protested, heading for the door to leave. "That's fucking awkward and weird."

Considering the reaction, Maru grasped the most likely conclusion, "Oh... so you and Violet got physically intimate. Yes, I suppose it would be rude of you to leave abruptly if that were the case..."

Sebastian threw down his arms in exasperation. "We didn't do anything. Violet was just reading over my shoulder!"

Now Maru was even more puzzled. "You were freaked out by her reading over your shoulder?" the scientist repeated doubtfully. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees as she watched him, expecting a better answer.

Her brother seemed to be battling himself internally before he finally surrendered an answer. Though it was not to the question she anticipated. "Fine. I froze the branch with my hand!"


	6. Accidents Happen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Jas' birthday, so the adults make preparations to celebrate. Sebastian confronts Maru about her interrogation the night before. Marnie reflects on her relationship with Lewis. Violet tries to talk to Haley again with mixed results. Sebastian has an embarrassing talk with Dr. Harvey. Violet shows up late for her appointment and ends up walking in on more than she can handle.

Shane slapped the screen to silence the screaming alarm on his phone. The man shifted his weight in an attempt to have gravity assist his efforts to get out of bed, but instead of landing on his feet, the disheveled man got tangled up in his sheets and fell onto his side with a hard thud.

A muffled groan of pain escaped his open mouth before he extracted himself from the material and rolled away to safety. As Shane pulled a pair of dark cargo shorts and a wrinkled work shirt out of his laundry basket overflowing with clothes he never bothered to fold or put away, he rubbed the prickly stubble on his face. He zoned out, trying to remember why he set his alarm so early today... 

After some time, there was a light tap on the door. Marnie’s voice whispered from beyond the other side of the entrance to his room. “Shane, are you awake?

Shane approached the door and opened it slowly so not to startle Marnie. “Yeah, I’m up,” he grumbled, squinting at the light pouring in from the kitchen before stepping out of his bedroom.

Marnie adjusted her bathrobe around her body. “Don’t forget to leave work a little early today for Jas’ party,” his aunt reminded him. “Emily said she would bring the cake, but we’ll need more candles.”

Her nephew nodded, realizing that this was the reason for his unusually early alarm. “I worked it out with Cheryl to duck out a bit early, but that means I have to get there before my shift normally starts.” He glanced at the clock on the wall of the kitchen. “Which means I should have left five minutes ago,” Shane realized in terror. He grabbed his Joja Mart jacket and rushed out the door without another word. 

* * *

Surprisingly, Maru did not bat an eye when Sebastian revealed his secret the night before. She simply asked for a demonstration, which he obliged if only so she would finally let him leave without further questions. So Maru handed him a pencil and he quickly froze it just as he had done to the branch on Violet's fruit tree, before tossing it to his sister and exiting the room. "Don't tell anyone else," he ordered Maru before he shut the door behind him.

After that, Sebastian immediately went outside to leave another note to Krobus. The new sorcerer waited a few hours for the shadow creature, but unfortunately his patience had been in vain. Krobus had either not seen the note or was busy with other things. Sebastian supposed he could not assume that his old friend would be at his beck and call, but it was frustrating not to have the answers he wanted right away. If Krobus knew anything to help him discern the source of his power, Sebastian wanted to know as soon as possible. So, eventually the dark-haired man fell asleep, his dreams filled with cold and shadow.

*******

Sebastian stared at the ceiling of his bedroom the next morning, generally regretting his life decisions. He could not believe let Maru know about his magic, but it was better than talking to her about the real reason he lied to Violet. He drew the line about talking to his sister about how he got ridiculously turned on by his crush and had to leave before she noticed the physical signs. Sebastian would have died of embarrassment. So instead, he had opted to distract his annoyingly persistent sister with the other object of her curiosity.

Was that the right choice, though? And really, what made her entitled to know all his secrets? Sebastian never dragged Maru aside to confront her like that. The more he thought about it, the more angry the young man became. Sebastian threw his sheets aside and swung his feet out of bed. Quickly heading up the stairs, he burst in the door of his sister’s room to confront her. 

Maru, who sat at her desk taking notes, turned to face him. “Good morning, Sebastian,” she greeted him as if nothing were wrong. “What brings you here so early in the morning?”

Sebastian scowled at his sister. “You need to mind your own fucking business more often, Maru,” he growled. “You had no right to interrogate me like you did last night. Just who do you think you are?”

The bespectacled woman blinked in surprise. “Interrogate?” she repeated in confusion. “I wasn’t interrogating you, I just wanted to know what was going on!”

“Bullshit!” Sebastian shot back angrily. “If that were true, you would have left it alone when you found out that both of us lied about it,” he reasoned. “Did you stop to consider that maybe one of us was trying to keep a secret for the other person for a good fucking reason?” 

Maru sighed, “Well now that I know that you froze the branch with magical means, yes…” Her warm brown eyes glanced up at her brother guiltily. “I apologize for probing too much. Quite frankly, I did not expect our conversation to go the way it did,” Maru confessed. “I was hoping… you would open up to me more,” she told her brother. “I thought we’ve been getting closer lately...”

The look on Maru's face threw cold water on his fury. “So you were just being a nosy little sister,” he scoffed. 

The young woman shrugged. “Honesty, I thought it was going to be related to your relationship with Violet,” Maru replied with a smile. “It’s cute how much you two try to hide it.”

Sebastian flushed, this time with embarrassment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re not in that kind of relationship.”

His sister rose to her feet and leaned closer to her brother. “I know all about the soft spot you have for farmer Violet,” she smirked, poking his chest gently over his heart. When she saw Sebastian’s mouth begin to open in protest, Maru sat on her bed and quickly changed the subject. “Besides, if it makes you feel any better, Violet already told me about the magic she’s experienced in town.” She flipped through the pages on her clipboard and glanced through her notes, “The Junimos that live in the old Community Center, for instance.”

Okay, so maybe that made him feel a little bit better if he was not the first to spill the beans about magic overall. “That’s something, I guess,” Sebastian admitted. “Just… don’t tell anyone else,” he reiterated. “Especially to mom and Demetrius.”

Maru furrowed her brow, “Why not? Isn’t this exciting news? You have an ability unexplained by science! Think of all the potential research -”

Sebastian’s rebuttal interrupted her. “That’s exactly my point, I don’t _want_ to be researched like some lab animal, especially by Demetrius.” He sighed heavily, staring down at his open palms. “Not to mention…” he balled up his fists as he felt a chill run through them. “I want to know where this came from first.”

His sister remembered their conversation earlier that week. “Is that why you’ve been thinking more about your biological dad lately?” Maru asked gently. 

Her brother nodded, confirming Maru's suspicions. “Yeah…" He released the tension in his hands along with the last of his pent-up frustration. “I have to know if he’s the missing piece to all of this.”

For a while, silence lingered in the air as the two siblings contemplated the situation. “Maybe… I could help,” Maru offered. “I don’t know if we’ll get anywhere, but I could try to help you discover the source. Or help you find your dad.”

Sebastian’s dark orbs focused on his sister. “How?” he queried, wondering how in the world Maru could offer such assistance.

Maru pinched the bridge of her nose. “Well, it would take some adjustments, for sure, but I think I could find a way to repurpose my drone to detect energy readings. I would just need you to provide a base for what we’re looking to match once it's ready.” Her deep brown eyes looked up at her brother. “As for your dad… I’ll see what I can find out,” Maru stood back up and walked over to her closet to retrieve her work uniform. “Any extra details to help you find him could be helpful and I am a thorough researcher if nothing else.” 

Sebastian felt grateful to Maru for her willingness to help him despite his outburst that started the whole conversation. “You mean it?” the young man asked hopefully. 

Maru draped the nurse uniform over her arm and brought it over to her desk to stuff inside her bag. “Of course I do, silly,” the brunette insisted. “You’re my brother.” Maru said it for matter-of-factly that it took Sebastian aback. As much as he hated to admit it, he was starting to believe that Maru actually meant it when she told him she wanted to become closer. His sister shouldered her bag and scanned the room to make sure she was not forgetting anything. “Well, unless you have anything else you would like to share, I need to get to work,” Maru informed Sebastian, heading for the door.

“Not unless you have any news on your front with Alex,” Sebastian laughed teasingly, ribbing his little sister as she passed him.

“Oh, you want to know about his progress?” Maru sounded genuinely surprised that Sebastian took any interest in her side projects. “I could catch you up on that later, if you’re interested.”

Sebastian shook his head, “No, I mean you two are hanging out a lot lately. I thought maybe you were into him or something…” he clarified.

Maru froze, as if she were a robot whose processing power suddenly plummeted. “Into him… how?” she finally questioned her older brother.

“I mean, I don’t wanna hear about my little sister’s sexual fantasies or anything - that’s gross,” Sebastian clarified, putting down some ground rules. “But if you’ve gotta thing for the meathead and want to talk about it, that’s fine.”

While the scientist knew that Sebastian was trying to extend an olive branch by offering to talk about crushes, there was one part she could not let slide. “Alex isn’t an idiot,” Maru defended the jock. “I think… he just knows that people expect that of him and whenever he tries to leave that little box everyone puts him in, someone shoves him back in,” she thought aloud. 

Sebastian shrugged, “Whatever you say, Maru.” He waved his sister on, “I’ll see you later.” The hoodie-clad man watched Maru go with a chuckle. Her face was priceless. Did she really not know her own feelings?

Maru nodded, still contemplating her brother’s original question as she left the house and walked toward the clinic. Wait, did Sebastian think she liked Alex romantically? She paused. _Did_ she like Alex that way?

* * *

Violet tended to her crops first thing that morning, as dictated by her daily routine. The strange hops and blueberries seemed to be growing at the same rate as their normal counterparts, but the farmer could not help but feel that their differences were more than a simple change in color. Regardless, Violet continued her care for the odd crops in the hope that they would still produce something edible for the town. The plants did not seem wilted or sickly, she noticed, so better to put in the effort now and have it wasted than let them wither away to nothing. 

When she finished, Violet filled Bruno’s water bowl and decided to head down to the beach to check on her new crab pots. While the young woman hoped to get some of the shellfish that the Junimos requested for their crab pot, she hoped for an extra crab or lobster to make some culinary extravagance for herself. The farmer deserved to treat herself.

* * *

"Aunt Marnie, Aunt Marnie!" Jas shouted as she hopped up and down toward the kitchen, her dark pigtails trailing behind. "It's my birthday!" the little girl sang with a cheerful tune.

The rancher beamed at her niece and gestured toward the table. "Which is why I made your favorite breakfast to celebrate!"

Jas' grey eyes sparkled at the sight of the mound of cinnamon rolls on her plate. She squealed in delight, hopping up onto her chair and tearing into the first icing-covered sweet roll. “They’re delicious!” Jas cried, singing praises for her guardian’s thoughtfulness as she took another bite. “Thank you, aunt Marnie!”

Marnie tugged at her braid, adjusting its position along her shoulder to keep it away from the icing of the cinnamon roll she reserved for herself. She turned to smile at her favorite child in the world, “It’s only right to spoil a girl on her birthday.”

Already on her second sweet treat, Jas asked a question. “Can we go visit Shane at work today?”

The older woman’s gaze softened. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, sweetheart. We don’t want to distract Shane while he’s working.”

Jas frowned, displeased by the denial of her request. “Then can we go play dolls in my room?”

“Of course, Jas!” Marnie agreed, hoping that the playtime together would make up for being unable to visit Shane. Luckily, Emily had already volunteered to do most of the set-up for the party, so all Marnie had to do was keep her niece occupied until it started.

After entering the pink and purple room, Marnie sat down beside her niece, her knees cracking like a glow stick as she settled down on the plush carpet. Jas reached for her dolls, which Marnie noticed were all seated around the dinner table. From their appearance, there was a doll for her, Jas, Shane, and… was that blue-haired doll supposed to be Emily?

Marnie smirked to herself. It seemed her niece was more astute in her observations than she thought. The woman scanned the dollhouse and found one other doll wedged under the bed in one of the bedrooms. “Jas, why is that man under the bed?” Marnie asked in alarm. 

Jas shrugged, “He always hides under the bed when anyone but the grandma is around.”

The rancher thought it was best to get more information. “Why does he do that?” she wondered aloud.

Jas giggled, “I think he’s scared of them!” she told her aunt, handing her the doll. Sure enough, Jas had drawn a grey mustache on his with a washable marker. The facial features looked eerily similar to the Mayor. Marnie sighed heavily. So even the children in town knew something was going on between her and Lewis, yet he refused to acknowledge their relationship for fear that it would tarnish his respectability as an elected official. 

If it was because he was not ready to be a guardian for a small child, Marnie could understand that on some level. But Lewis never cited that as a reason for secrecy. She had hardly spoken to him since their fight at the Flower Dance. He refused to apologize for his disrespectful language toward Shane. _The old prune…_ Marnie gripped the doll tightly around the middle, as if it would somehow its human equivalent physical discomfort.

“Aunt Marnie,” Jas’ innocent voice rang out. “Are you okay?” the little girl asked, her eyebrows high with concern.

“Of course, Jas,” her aunt assured her with a wide grin, setting down the doll for a moment. “So, what game are we playing?”

* * *

Violet arrived at the beach and immediately went to the pier to check her crab pots. While she did not catch as many crustaceans as she hoped, there was one crab among her catches. The other two pots supplied a clam and a broken CD. The farmer immediately tossed the broken CD in the appropriate trash receptacle, irked that her efforts were wasted. Perhaps if she scoured the shoreline, she would find something else worthwhile. 

While combing the beach, Violet found a mussel and several cockles before she crossed the bridge to the eastern side of the beach. There, she found some coral and a sea urchin, neither of which were suitable for the crab pot supplies, but good for making some quick cash at Willy’s. 

Violet decided it was best to go to the Community Center right away to drop off the fresh seafood so it would not spoil in her bag. No one would want to be around someone who smelled of rotting sea creatures, after all. On her way north off the beach, the farmer spied Haley sunbathing on a beach towel off to her left. The pastel-haired woman decided to be a friendly neighbor and chat. “Hey, Haley! How’s it going?” 

“You’re in the way, farmer,” Haley complained, propping herself up on her elbow and sliding her over-sized sunglasses off of her face. “I don’t want weird tan lines like you.”

“Sorry,” the newcomer apologized, though she did not think it would make a significant difference if she stood in the sun for a few minutes. She stepped out of Haley’s sunbeam and the woman settled back down on the sand. 

“Do you have something to say to me?” the blonde asked, slipping her sunglasses back into place, and flipping her hair so that it lay flat on the ground above her head. 

Violet cleared her throat nervously. Why did it always feel like Haley did not want other people around? “I just thought I’d say ‘hi,’ that’s all....” the young woman confessed. “Though I guess I’m not nearly as interesting as Bex to you, so… I’ll get going.”

The sunbathing woman sighed in exasperation. “I tried being nice lately and it didn't get me anywhere. I can’t help that most people don’t speak the same language when it comes to personal interests,” Haley explained, sitting up again. “Don’t get me wrong, it was a breath of fresh air to have someone to talk to about hair and make up, but those aren't the only things I care about.” The blonde seemed annoyed by Violet’s comment more than angry, the farmer noticed. “I clearly don't know how to talk to people without sounding like a total snob."

“Just because you feel awkward doesn’t mean you have to insult me,” Violet grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest, and avoiding Haley’s eyes. “We're in the same boat, but at least I give it a shot.”

Haley’s blue orbs stared at the hot pink beach towel beneath her. “Well, you made the assumption that I only want to talk to people like your cosmetologist friend is kind of insulting, too, you know,” she said, trying to hide her sulking. “I’m not just a pretty face.”

“And I’m more than a farmer’s tan, right?” Violet replied, making her point.

The blonde sighed. “Fine, I get it,” she admitted, leaning back to rest on her outstretched hands behind her. “I guess all the friends I had before moving back to the Valley did was insult each other. It's just how I talk now.”

Violet shrugged. “I mean, teasing is fine, but if all you do is insult each other, is it really a friendship or do you all secretly hate each other?”

Haley’s lips twisted into a frown. She had been the most popular girl in school and hanging out with Alex all the time did not help in terms of making genuine friends. The other girls just wanted to be around her to get closer to Alex, even if the rest of the school assumed Haley and Alex were “Barbie and Ken.” Those fake bitches. Then again, had she been any different back then? Haley still could not believe that Alex never asked her out.

The former head cheerleader ran her fingers through her curls, and looked up at Violet, her sunglasses blocking half her face. “That’s probably why I don’t have any friends other than Alex, huh?”

Violet flushed, embarrassed that Haley caught on to her implication, and tucked a stray strand of pastel hair behind her ear. “I… can’t say for sure, but I think there are plenty of people in this town who would want to be your friend.” The farmer thought specifically of how Haley and Leah spent most of the evening chatting before the Flower Dance. “Maybe just give us all a shot?”

"I'll think about it," Haley relented, lying back down on the warm beach towel. "In the meantime, I'm going to work on my tan while the weather's nice. Care to join?"

The farmer shook her head, "I've got other things to do, but thanks." So perhaps making friends with everyone in town was going to be more difficult with some people than others. Violet could live with that. As long as she did not make any new enemies, right?

* * *

Sebastian strolled down the mountainside at a leisurely pace toward the clinic. He racked his brain, trying to figure out the least humiliating way to phrase his questions. The young man knew that his progress regarding his smoking cessation would likely be their first topic. 

Despite the cravings he experienced, Sebastian had only a moment of weakness. When Violet had canceled their weekly pool match, he decided to clean his room as a distraction. That was when he found an old carton with one crushed cigarette still inside. He smoked about a third before he became so frustrated with himself he threw it in the damp grass and stomped it out with the heel of his boot. 

But that had been almost a week ago and the very next day, Sebastian ran out of Step 2 patches and graduated to Step 3. Part of him was disappointed that he marred his progress with a step backward, but he was trying not to focus on it. Dwelling on it was only going to cause more problems. His anxiety was the reason he kept smoking for so long anyway, well after its appeal wore away.

Entering town, Sebastian turned the corner and made his way to the clinic. Really it was just an additional Pierre’s General Store with eggshell blue exterior and teal trimmings, but it served well enough for a small-town doctor’s office. 

The leaf pattern on the wallpaper covering the waiting room seemed to be an attempt to tie into the natural beauty of the town, in addition to the large potted plants scattered around the room. Bright blue chairs accented the lavender tiles on the floor and Sebastian took a seat. Usually, he came before lunch and waited almost two hours until Dr. Harvey came to retrieve him from the waiting room. But this year, Sebastian had been smart and arrived closer to the actual appointment time. 

Sebastian thought he would chat with Maru while she worked, but his sister was nowhere to be seen. Probably working in the back somewhere, if he had to guess. Either way, not ten minutes had passed before the mustached brunet appeared in the waiting room, his starch-white lab coat bright against the colors of the room.

“Good afternoon, Sebastian,” Doctor Harvey greeted his patient. “I’m glad you could make it today. Come on back and we’ll get started.” The bespectacled medical professional waved the younger man over and Sebastian followed Harvey through the door and to the left into the exam room.

As always, Sebastian immediately shed his hoodie and hopped up onto the exam table, the thin white paper covering it crinkling beneath his weight. Doctor Harvey donned his stethoscope and indicated that he was about to check the patient’s vital signs. “Breathe deeply for me, please,” the physician requested, pressing the cold metal against Sebastian’s chest. 

The dark-haired man obeyed, taking a calming breath and releasing it slowly. Harvey switched to the back and held the stethoscope in place before repeating the request. The brunet grinned at his patient, and removed the stethoscope from his ears, letting fall to rest around his neck. “Well, Sebastian,” he began. “I’m impressed. I can already tell from the way you’re breathing that your lungs are starting to recover nicely.” The doctor pulled a clipboard from the small maple desk and jotted down a few notes on a sheet of paper. “The human body is remarkable that way.”

“That’s… good to hear,” Sebastian thought aloud. He half expected the doctor to press him into quitting sooner. The programmer sighed heavily. “I… did mess up last week, though. I smoked,” he confessed. “I’m not proud of it, but I just happened to find a cigarette in my room that didn’t get tossed and-”

Harvey cut him off with a raise of his hand. “You’re doing well, Sebastian,” the doctor assured him. “No one’s perfect and progress isn’t always linear. Sometimes we have to take a step back to realize how far we’ve come.” The doctor dropped his pen in the front pocket of his lab coat. “Is there anything you want to discuss today?”

Sebastian cleared his throat nervously. “Ugh… yeah, actually.” He tried not to let himself be thrown off by Harvey’s raised eyebrows. He didn’t normally ask questions, so of course the guy would be surprised.

“Uh, first… my arm has been really itchy near the patch.” He lifted his elbow toward the ceiling to show the doctor the back of his arm properly, but his sleeve covered more than he anticipated. “Hold on,” Sebastian excused himself, wiggling out of his ebony t-shirt. 

Harvey came closer to inspect the rash. “Ah, you need to move where you put the patch daily,” the doctor said. “Your skin is most sensitive where the overlap from day-to-day occurs. I’ll get a mirror to show you.” Opening a drawer in the cabinet beside the sink, the mustached man produced a small hand mirror. “See? You’ll need to try putting it on other parts of your body, like your chest or even switching to your other arm. That should reduce the irritation.”

Sebastian nodded thoughtfully, looking at the reflection in the mirror of his arm. Holding his shirt and hoodie in his lap, the patient’s dark orbs avoiding the practitioner’s gaze as he asked his final question.

“Is it… normal to get random boners?” Sebastian panicked as soon as he heard his own words. “I mean, like I know it is, but how often? And like, can you stop them before they happen?”

Harvey suppressed his chuckles behind his hand. "It is completely normal for a healthy young man to get an erection several times a day," the doctor assured his red-faced patient. “To get rid of any 'unwanted friend,' you can try waiting it out and covering it with something - like how you're laying that sweatshirt in your lap. Then there’s distracting yourself, repositioning, or taking a cold shower." The doctor paused, "But that last one is not always an option, obviously.”

The doctor set down his clipboard and sat on the stool in front of the desk. “Is there a particular reason you asked today?”

“I just… happen to be getting them more often now,” Sebastian replied hesitantly. “I don’t want people to think I’m some perv who can’t control himself.” The young man wanted nothing more than to escape the room right now, but he froze.

Doctor Harvey pondered a moment, “Are you sexually active?”

Sebastian coughed, while it was typical for a medical professional to ask that question, it caught him completely off-guard. "N-no! I j-just find someone attractive and I don't want her getting the wrong idea about me!"

A smile appeared behind the doctor’s mustache. Judging from the rumors around town, Harvey had an idea of what was going on. He opened the top drawer of his medical supply cabinet. “Well, in case you decide you’re ready in the next year before you come in for your next appointment,” he began, handing Sebastian a small box. “You might want to take these just in case. Even if you don’t use them, they’re always good to have around just in case. And if you need more, you can always buy more if you need them.”

Sebastian’s ink-black gazed fixated downward to the box in his hand. “C-condoms?!” Doctor Harvey thought he had never seen a man’s face so red, and he had even witnessed a man’s cardiac arrest. That was, at least, until the exam room door burst open and there stood a breathless and wide-eyed Violet.

* * *

Violet presented the Junimos with her crab pot catches for the day. Sadly, it was not enough to complete the bundle she wanted, but any progress was still progress. She squatted down to the little apple creatures’ level and tried to talk to them as best she could. “Hi, everyone!” she greeted the Junimos in a friendly manner. “As you probably know, I’m Violet. What are your names?”

Some of them responded to her question by listing off their color, which was simple enough. But not all the Junimos had such simple names and Violet had difficulty telling two Junimos of the same color apart at first. After some time and dedication, the farmer noticed the subtle difference between these forest spirits. The smaller ones frequently still had leaves on their stems and the larger apples tended to have longer stick limbs to match them proportionally. One poor Junimo had a worm of some sort gnawing on it’s skin and Violet quickly remedied the situation by snatching up the wiggly monstrosity and chucking it far away from the weepy green apple. 

“It’s okay, Pippin,” she assured the Junimo, stroking where there was now a small bit in its smooth green flesh. Strangely enough, Violet noticed the hole getting smaller and smaller until it vanished completely. If the farmer had not seen the bite mark before, she would never have been able to tell it ever existed. 

The little Junimo's mouth curved upward at Violet and wrapped its twig arms around her leg. “Tank yoo, Lay-dee,” it sang appreciatively in a high voice. 

“I don’t think I did anything…” the pastel-haired woman admitted. “You little guys are way more magical than I am.”

Before she could realize what was going on, the Junimo was rummaging through her bag, tossing out items onto the floor. “Hey!” the farmer protested. “I already gave you all what I had today. Put that stuff back!” she ordered.

Pippin ignored Violet, however, until a small piece of paper fell to the floor. Then, the mischievous little apple and all of its companions disappeared in a flash, leaving a confused Violet sitting there alone in the old, abandoned Community Center. “What was that about?” she muttered to herself, slightly annoyed that she was left a mess. 

Gathering her things off the ground, Violet picked up the piece of paper that the Junimos dropped, wondering if something caused the Junimos to flee. Before the farmer flipped it over, she could tell what it was from the water-damaged texture of the paper. It was her doctor appointment reminder. Her cobalt eyes scanned the writing. “Oh, shit! That was today!” she realized, scooping up her items haphazardly and throwing them into her backpack. “Doctor Harvey told me to come early and it’s already past lunch!” 

She sprinted as fast as she could toward the clinic, her tools jingling in her pack as she ran. The last thing she wanted was for someone to hate her in this town and being hours late for an appointment might just get her there. As she entered town, Violet dodged a collision with Penny, who was walking the opposite way on the same path. “Sorry, Penny!” she apologized to the brunette, not slowing down. “I’m late, but I’ll talk to you later if I see you!”

Violet took the turn around the General Store a bit wide to avoid impact with any other villagers and threw the door of the clinic open. Maru stood behind the counter, dealing with some paperwork. The farmer almost did not recognize her at first in the nurse uniform. “Oh! Hi, Maru,” Violet panted, out of breath from her mad dash from the Community Center. “I’m late…" she gasped for air before continuing, "for my appointment.”

“I see.” Maru nodded in understanding and checked the clock for the time. “Harvey usually has appointments set up for 1:30 PM,” she informed her friend. “I haven’t seen him lately, but just go through that door and make a left. When the hall dead-ends, take the door on your right. I’ll go find Harvey and let him know you’re here,” the scientist informed the young woman, as she stacked her papers neatly and tucked them away in a filing cabinet.

Violet did as instructed and entered the exam room, only to find a shirtless, red-faced Sebastian with Doctor Harvey. Her eyes widened as she realized she had walked in on a second appointment this week, only this time it was not a house call. “I-I’m so sorry!” Violet could feel the heat in her face as rising. She covered her face with her hands, and tried to back out of the room, only to trip and fall backward, smacking herself against the door. “Ow…”

“A-are you okay, Violet?” the farmer could tell the source of the sound was closer than before. Sebastian must have left the exam table. She felt a hand touch her shoulder, “I’ll help you up…” 

He took her hand and pulled so Violet could stand. The momentum from Sebastian’s pull kept her moving forward so that she fell forward into his chest. Her hand braced for impact and pressed against warm, bare skin. Even with her eyelids shut and face covered with her right hand, the mere touch of her fingers against his chest made her blush. “T-thanks…”

Backing away slowly from Sebastian, Violet groped the air behind her until she found the door handle. Turning it, she opened the door and excused herself. “I’ll be going now. Ugh… yeah. Bye!” Violet turned and made a mad dash back out of the building, her face about as crimson as Sebastian's. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been setting up the scene when Violet walks in on Sebastian's appointment since "Moms and Cherry Bombs" of In Search of a Soul and we finally made it! 
> 
> *Celebrates with a pint... of Ben & Jerry's.*


	7. Emotional Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maru and Sebastian talk about Maru's dissatisfaction with her job at the clinic. Vincent gives Sam the scoop on his rival. Violet bumps into Elliott in the Cindersap Forest. Princess Jas' Birthday Tea Party. Shane begins to reflect on his complicated feelings raising Jas.

Maru sighed heavily, wondering where in the world Harvey could be if not in the hospital area of the clinic. It was not a large building, so he had to be somewhere. Or perhaps Harvey took a step outside for some air? It was unlike him to be late for an appointment, however.

It was then Maru saw Violet making a mad dash out the front door. The nursing assistant peered around the corner to see Doctor Harvey poking his head out of the exam room. "Is everything alright?" Maru asked the mustached man.

Harvey adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. "It seems Miss Violet got her dates mixed up and interrupted another yearly check-up," he explained before returning to the small room and shutting the door behind him.

Maru froze. If Violet's appointment was not today, then whose…? The young woman hurried to the front desk and checked the doctor's schedule. "Oh, dear," the bespectacled woman uttered, stifling a giggle behind her hand. "Sebastian is in there."

While it was none of her business, Maru had to wonder what made Violet so embarrassed that she felt the need to flee. Or perhaps the farmer was just easily flustered. Either way, Maru could not have planned this better herself. This was sure to get the two talking again after whatever it was that Sebastian was keeping from the farmer.

But that would have to occur more organically. Her brother had the rest of his appointment to finish and she had work to do. It was tedious compared to her personal projects, however.

"I'm so sick of preparing these samples..." she thought aloud. The process was the same, day in and day out. Filing, processing samples, scanning the documents from each appointment into the electronic files. Maru knew she could do so much more to help Harvey around here, but he either refused to delegate or did not believe in her ability as a nurse. The whole thing was discouraging. Part of her considered quitting in the past, but Maru always held back knowing that the clinic was a necessity for their community.

While she was lost in thought, Sebastian burst through the swinging door from the back, pulling his hoodie over his head as he entered the waiting room.

Maru startled at the unexpected noise and dropped the vial onto the floor, shattering it to hundreds of tiny glass shards. "Agh! Oh no!" the woman cried in alarm. Examining the wreckage, the scientist realized the futility of trying to recover any of the contents. "The whole sample is ruined..." she moaned miserably.

Sebastian backed away to avoid the spill and looked at his sister remorsefully. "Sorry," he apologized, realizing the accident was at least partially his fault. "Are you okay?" the dark-haired man asked.

His sister shook her head. "Harvey's going to kill me..." she groaned, the dread in Maru's voice sounded awful. "Sebastian, what should I do?"

"You're asking me for advice?" Sebastian replied skeptically. The young man shrugged when his sister nodded in confirmation. "Tell Harvey it was an accident," he proposed. "I did scare you, so it's not like it was entirely your fault," the programmer reasoned, gesturing to the broken sample bottle. The corner of his mouth twitched before he added, "And I'll help you clean it up, if you want."

Maru exhaled sharply, slapping her cheeks lightly with her open palms. "You're right, I should just tell him the truth," the nurse agreed. The woman went to find a broom and when she returned, she gave Sebastian a pair of safety gloves and goggles.

As Maru mopped up the liquid, her brother did his best to sweep up the glass off the floor. "So what had you so zone out anyway?" Sebastian asked her, trying to start a conversation. Maru smiled at his attempts to socialize with her, especially after their conflict earlier. She sighed, "Oh, just… thinking about what more I could do around here."

"From what I hear, the doc sings your praises. I doubt you need to put in any extra work," Sebastian mused, catching his haul in the dustpan. "Harvey adores you." There was no doubt in his mind that Doctor Harvey had a huge crush on his sister, but for some reason, Maru was still oblivious.

"But I want extra work! I want to do more than all these low-tier tasks he sends my way," Maru insisted, emphasizing her frustration as she thrust the contaminated cloth into a sealed bag. "I'm capable of more than just," she grunted as she searched for the right words. "Secretarial work!"

Sebastian could not help but smile seeing his younger sister fired up like this, even if it meant she was annoyed. "Wow, even perfect little Maru has things that bother her," he teased, prodding her with the handle of the broom gently. "Who would have guessed?"

Despite herself, Maru returned the grin, "Oh, c'mon! I'm a person, too!" she complained, swatting the broom away.

"Funny, I always assumed you were some kind of robot," Sebastian shot back with a wide smile.

While Sebastian's behavior was somewhat irritating, Maru found herself appreciative that her brother was acting - well, like an actual sibling. He spent so many years just brushing her off or pushing her away, it was refreshing to finally have this kind of relationship. If only they had figured it out before they were both into their twenties. Maru could not help but wonder how their dynamic would have been different growing up.

"But seriously, Maru," Sebastian said, collecting the last bits of glass he could find in the trash. "If you want to be treated more like an equal here, just say so. You've got the credentials."

Maru pondered for a moment, then bobbed her head in agreement. "Alright, I'll talk to Harvey about it soon."

"Today!" Sebastian asserted, urging his sister to action as removed the gloves from his hands.

His sister scoffed, "I'll tell Harvey today if you show me what you're hiding in your pocket." Sebastian's face went white as a sheet and Maru stifled a laugh. She already knew what it was from the size and shape of the box and her memory of the clinic's inventory, but this was a great way to both tease her brother and get him off her back.

It did not matter much though, as Harvey stepped into the waiting room, thus ending the conversation between the siblings. "What happened? I heard something break..." he asked, scanning the room for any signs of what occurred.

"I accidentally dropped one of the samples," Maru explained, gesturing with the bag of hazardous materials. "I'm so sorry..."

"I appreciate you telling me the truth, Maru," the brunet man returned with a small smile. "Don't worry about the sample, we'll just get another one."

His assurance seemed to assuage his assistant's worry. "Thanks for being patient with me, Doctor Harvey," she said appreciatively, flashing a grin of her own in return.

"Of course," the doctor stated plainly, "you've been a big help around here." He stole a glance at Maru before letting loose a nervous chuckle. "I don't know what I'd do without you!"

It was then Doctor Harvey noticed that they were not alone. "Sebastian? You look a little pale... are you feeling okay?" He had not drawn any blood today from the patient, so perhaps the sight of blood from the broken vial disturbed him?

Sebastian shook his head, "Ugh, I-I'm fine," he responded awkwardly. "I'll see you around, doc."

Sam stood on the shoreline, enjoying the sun and sea air tousling his hair as he watched his little brother construct a sandcastle. Vincent expression appeared troubled, the blond noticed, and sauntered over to sit beside the boy. "Something on your mind, buddy?" he inquired casually, tacking a shell onto the fortress.

Vincent frowned, prodding the monster he fashioned out of seaweed with a piece of driftwood. "The knight has to defend the princess from the sea monster," he explained, giving the pile of limp green aquatic flora another poke.

His older brother nodded. "Oh, is the monster trying to eat her?" Sam queried the small boy.

A huff escaped Vincent, "It's worse!" the child exclaimed, "He wants to marry her!"

"Oh, yeah," Sam jested. "I can see how that would be a problem, bud." He picked up the large, conical shell that represented the princess. Probably because it looked vaguely like a dress. "I'm guessing this isn't a Beauty and the Beast kinda deal, huh?"

Vincent waggled his head vigorously. "No, the knight loves the princess and he's gonna marry her someday," he reported to Sam. "But he's not old enough to get married yet, so he's gotta bend off other suit horse!"

Sam tried to process his little brother's world through the filter of a kid who mispronounced or misunderstood adult words all the time. "Fend off other suitors?" he guessed. It made the most sense of the possible meanings.

"Yeah, that!" Vincent agreed, launching the seaweed monster in an arc and into the oncoming tide. The woven green mass began to be dragged out to sea by the current.

The blond shrugged off his denim jacket to better enjoy the sunshine on his skin, leaving just his yellow t-shirt. He knew from experience that kids often reflected things they worried about in their play. Hell, when dad left for the war, that's all Vincent wanted to play for months. Enacting their father's departure, countless battles, and whether or not he would return home safely. It freaked their mom out to be sure, to the point where Sam made sure that Vincent only played with him when he needed the outlet. But this was not as dire, so Sam had to know who this "sea monster" was and which girl in town Vincent had a huge crush on. Was it still Penny or had the kiddo moved on to someone more his age?

"So what's up, Vince?" Sam asked, leaning back in the sand. "You normally like to play with dinosaurs and aliens, rather than knights and princesses. What got you interested lately?" The little boy grinned and immediately dumped a bucket of sand on his big brother. Sam feigned annoyance, but he let his kid brother bury him in the sand for a while.

Vincent added another shovelful of sand onto his brother's legs. "Miss Penny says that she likes 'gentlemen,'" the boy huffed with a pout. "And Jas says that Elliott is a princely knight kind of guy." The strawberry blond was distracted for an instant by a hermit crab before he continued. "So I have to be more suh-fist-tah-gate-ed so I can marry Miss Penny when I grow up."

"Oh, so Elliott likes Penny, huh?" Sam recapitulated with a smirk often found on old gossips. He had a hunch there was something up since they danced together at the Flower Dance, but he and Penny did not have as much time for catching up once he started dating Abigail. Now that Sam thought about it, he had been rude not to let her know why they were not hanging out as often. He should stop by and talk to her sometime soon. "How did you find out?"

The little boy tugged at his striped shirt, trying to remove the sand. "Elliott came by during our summer reading session with Miss Penny yesterday and he gave her the same silly look you give Abigail."

Sam chortled at his little brother's observation. "The exact same one, huh?"

After a moment of contemplation, Vincent disagreed. "No, your face is more… toothy," he stated. "You smile in a way that makes mom worry you're going to give Abigail a baby."

The blond sputtered at the latter sentence, sitting up abruptly and disturbing all the sand Vincent had piled upon him. "Where did you hear that?"

" I heard mom talking about it with Mrs. Caroline yesterday," Vincent informed his older brother. His large, innocent eyes gazed up at Sam adoringly. Sam was dumbfounded as his brother continued. "Are you gonna marry Abigail and give her a baby so I can be an uncle?" he asked. "It would be cool to have another boy to play with. And if I'm an uncle, Miss Penny will see how grown up I am!"

For once, Sam was at a loss for words before he stumbled upon a response. "I-I… I mean, someday it might be cool to like, get married and start a family, but not for a while."

His older brother's hesitancy quickly made Vincent lose interest in the topic. "Well, even if you're lame," Vincent began as he jut his forefinger toward the shack on the beach, "I'm gonna defeat my rival and marry Miss Penny!" he proclaimed.

Violet finally stopped to catch her breath once she reached the Cindersap Forest. Though no one was around, the farmer still felt the need to shield her face so she would not keel over dead from the humiliation of making the same mistake twice in one week. And this time it was so much worse!

Sebastian was shirtless. Violet had just seen the guy she had a huge crush on without his shirt. Oh, damn. Admittedly, the young woman had not seen much, but when Sebastian helped her up after she fell and smacked her head against the wall, she felt enough. The young man's chest had been warm and slightly damp from sweat – probably from the warm summer air. She had to push herself away almost immediately for fear that Sebastian would notice how much her heart raced as he held her against his body.

"AH!" she shouted, trying to release her pent-up frustrations. This was her own doing, after all. The farmer was the one who decided she was going to take things slow. Violet had no one to blame but herself, right? Still, the pastel-haired woman somehow felt the lingering sensation of this touch on her body. She blushed as her mind wandered to the idea of exploring more of his unclothed form.

"What is wrong with me?!" she disparaged herself, holding her head in her hands and tapping on her skull, as if that would knock some sense into her.

"I dare say nothing is particularly wrong with you, Miss Violet," a voice answered quietly. "Though your volume appears to be disturbing the wildlife."

There was never any privacy in this town, was there? Violet turned to see Elliott, who stood in his everyday finery. She sighed, "I'm sorry, I just made a fool of myself and thought I was alone to yell as loud as I wanted."

The poet smiled coyly. "Ah, shouting into the void, as it were?" he commented with a slight tug at the corners of his mouth. "I have yet to participate in such an activity myself," the light-haired brunet confessed, "but I dare say it sounds positively freeing!"

"You should try it sometime," Violet said encouragingly. The farmer had never seen Elliott let loose at all and thought it might be good for him. Then again, it might cause more stress than relief.

The poet pondered the idea. "Perhaps a Shakespearean-style monologue than shouting at the heavens would be more appropriate for one such as myself," he mused aloud. "I am afraid I am not one to raise my voice to anyone."

Elliott was soft-spoken, Violet had to admit, despite his verbosity. "Well, no pressure. It's just supposed to help you feel better."

The author nodded. "Yes, I noticed your expression has already transformed quite soundly," the well-dressed man observed. "Pray tell, Miss Violet. What irked you so much that you felt compelled to venture into the woods for solitude and release?"

Violet blushed at Elliott's word choice. She was sure that Elliott was not referring to the kind of "release" her mind did, but it was too late now. "I-it's nothing important!" the pastel-haired woman lied. The farmer tried desperately to shift the focus away from her. "What about you? Are you here to visit Leah?"

Elliott's head oscillated to and fro. "No," he replied. "Ironically, Miss Leah and I trade locations on days such as these." He gestured to the lush forest around them. "I come here to seek a muse among the bird song and greenery and Miss Leah heeds the call of the sea."

"So you both just need a change of scenery once and a while?" Violet repeated. "That makes sense. I'm sure it gets stale staring at the same thing every day, even if it is beautiful."

The poet smiled. "It is for that very reason I firmly believe nature has its seasons and we all must age," he shared with the farmer. "There is beauty in the subtle differences of the day-to-day, even if one may not notice until looking back at how things once were…"

Violet found herself struck by Elliott sincerity. "I never thought about it that way," she admitted, "but I like the way you make it sound."

A smile stretched across the man's face, reaching his amber eyes. "I am flattered by your compliment, Miss Violet. It is a writer's greatest pleasure to hear that their words have touched the audience in some manner."

The woman grinned back at the tall man before her. "Well, I for one look forward to seeing how famous you get! Remember the little people when you're surrounded by fawning fans at book signings!" she teased, indicating her intention to leave with a small wave. "I'll see you tomorrow at The Stardrop Saloon for our usual Friday night meal, right?"

"I would not miss it for the world," Elliott assured the newcomer with a smile as he jotted down a few notes, lest he forget before he arrived home to write. The poet had to admit that his conversations with Miss Violet often had an immediate effect on his creative process and he must not waste the opportunity. Elliott hurried home to begin writing a tale of everyday beauty the author suspected would influence the romantic confession in his novel. Or… perhaps to someone else?

Shane looked to Cheryl when it came time for him to sneak out early. Although he made arrangements with his red-headed supervisor ahead of time, they had specifically not involved Morris in the conversation. The guy was more likely to spontaneously combust than approve a schedule adjustment when the employee could take an unpaid day from work.

When they both knew that Morris was in the back triple-checking the inventory counts, Shane grabbed a small pack of candles and threw them on the register counter. "I'll take these before I head out," he whispered, glancing over his shoulder, and expecting the bow-tied boss to be standing behind him.

"So, a little girl's birthday, huh?" Cheryl said casually as she rang up the tiny wax candles. "I didn't know you had a kid."

Shane pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and handed her the cash he owed. "Jas isn't my daughter," he clarified, "but I guess I'm the closest thing she's got to a dad." He scoffed at the irony a slob like him could be anyone's father figure. Least of all a smart kid like Jas.

Cheryl was curious about the situation but knew that Shane was not the kind of guy to talk too much about his personal life at work. Besides, if she pried, the woman would feel obligated to share, too, and she had her own problems she did not want to air out with her co-workers. "Well, that's more than a lot of real fathers do for their kids," she sighed, clearly depressed by the reality. "So, good on you for being there for her, Shane."

Her subordinate slid the box into his pocket and leaned against the counter casually, his back to Cheryl. She noticed how deflated he looked from behind, as if he were putting on a brave face any time someone looked at him, but the rest of his body language could not keep it going.

"I sometimes wonder if she'd have been better off with someone else," he thought out loud. "Or if I'd been more responsible, I wouldn't have had to move in with David and Lila. Maybe Jas' parents would still be around..." Before the woman could comment, Shane pushed off the counter and left through the front door to be less conspicuous. "Thanks for everything, Cheryl."

When Shane arrived home, Marnie was working on clearing the storage room to set up for the party. These things used to be stowed away in the loft of the barn, but a tree branch fell on the roof and made a sizable hole, which made dry storage nearly impossible for months. Robin did fix the problem when Marnie finally had the time to take the trek up to the carpenter's shop, but neither of them ever got around to putting all the stuff back up there since. Shane figured he may as well get that done now if they were going to move the animal feed, hay, and barrels anyway. Why move all this shit twice?

Shane did most of the heavy lifting and made a pile by the ladder up to the loft. This was going to be a pain in the ass to get everything up to the loft by himself. Marnie was too busy decorating inside. After a while, the husky man found a rope and managed to fashion a makeshift lifting system with one of the support beams on the roof. It took a bit of finagling, but it was better than trying to push all the barrels up the ladder while trying to climb it himself.

Unfortunately, the whole project took longer than Shane anticipated, so he only had half an hour to clean up before the party and a good portion of that was spent in the shower trying to remove the grime from his face and straw from his hair. When he emerged, he found a flouncy dress on his bed. It looked strangely large to be for a little girl.

"Marnie, what the hell is this pile of fluff on my bed?" he shouted from his doorway.

"That's your princess costume, Shane. You promised Jas, remember?" his aunt's voice replied flatly.

Shane glanced at the pink ruffles indignantly. He did not recall promising Jas he would wear this thing. In fact, he specifically recalled asking her never to ask him to wear it again. Which Halloween was it again? Jas insisted they go as a princess duo, but he could not remember which. He sighed heavily and tried to pull the dress up over his body, only it caught around his gut. Never in a million years did Shane think he would be so grateful to be too big for an article of clothing. "Ugh, Jas…" he called out into the main part of the house. "My dress doesn't fit," he informed his goddaughter, trying to feign disappointment. "I'm gonna have to go as something else."

Emily knocked on the door to the ranch house holding Jas' pink cake well away from the door in case the excited child tried to charge her as she opened the door. The woman's precautions were rewarded when Jas flung open the door and threw her arms around Emily's waist. Then, remembering the theme she had chosen for the evening, Jas straightened her posture and curtseyed. "Welcome to my tea party, Miss Emily!"

The sapphire-haired woman followed the birthday girl into the house and set the cake on the kitchen table before joining Jas in the western-most room with the fireplace. Marnie and Shane had cleared all the hay bales, animal feed, and barrels of supplies they usually stored in the room and replaced them with decorative streamers and a long, low table set for eight. Emily wondered about the others who made Jas' guest list.

Emily sat with Jas and played with her dolls until another knock came at the door. Jas rose to her feet elegantly. "That must be our other guests, Princess Emily," the little girl stated as she glided toward the door. "Welcome my fellow princesses!" the dark-haired girl cooed, backing away from the entrance so the guests could queue into the house.

Each guest wore a pastel dress with a ribbon around the waist, all except for Elliott who appeared befuddled as his eyes glanced over the rest of the partygoers. "My invitation did not request a _literal_ dress code…" he said apologetically, searching for the card in the inner pocket of his tasseled coat.

"That's because you're the prince!" Jas told the man, taking him by the hand and seating him beside her at the table. Emily could tell that the little girl was smitten with the poet, but Jas also made sure that no one else could sit next to him other than Penny. The barkeep wondered what the birthday girl's intentions were with the seating arrangements.

Vincent, in his little pink dress, seemed both pleased that he was finally permitted to be the Flower Queen - or in this case, Princess, like he always wanted - but also annoyed that his older brother was here to cramp his style. Penny's attention was constantly either with Sam or Elliott and the little boy could not stand it.

"That's a lovely shade of sunshine yellow on you, Sam," Emily complimented the eldest of the brothers. "And that blush color suits you, too, Vincent."

"Thank you, Miss Emily," the little boy responded politely, giving her a combination of a bow and a curtsey as he lifted the skirt of his dress with an outstretched arm and bent his body over the other.

Emily could not help but think Vincent's behavior was adorable. Not to mention she was relieved that the invitees all wore their requested attire, even the young men. Jas would have been heartbroken if someone had made a fuss.

Sam approached Emily and flashed her a friendly smile. "Does this dress make me look fat?" he asked her, spinning his head around to peek at his backside comedically.

The seamstress chuckled. "You're lovely, Sam. A beautiful princess!"

"Same to you, Emily. I don't know what to call that pinky orange color, but you work it." His green eyes glanced around the room, as if looking for someone. "Have you seen Shane around?" he asked the young woman. "I wanted to ask him about playing pool again tomorrow."

Emily shook her head, "No, I haven't seen him yet," she notified her fellow party guest. "I assumed he was still helping Marnie with the snacks in the kitchen."

Sam messed with the flower barrette in his hair for a bit and nodded absent-mindedly. "I'm gonna go find him," the blond decided. He tilted his head toward Vincent. "Do you mind keeping an eye on him, so he doesn't get too jealous of Elliott over there? Apparently, they're 'love rivals' or something," the man hooted.

The brown-eyed woman joined in on the merriment. "Is that so?" she acknowledged with an exaggerated interest. "I would love to hear about it from him."

His older brother laughed. "Oh, good. He can give his speech to a real lady this time," he said teasingly before disappearing into the next room.

Shane heard Sam's distinct cackle before he saw his co-worker, but there was no mistaking that sound. "What the hell, Sam?!" the dark-haired man demanded. "You can't just burst into someone's room like that!"

The blond wheezed slightly before speaking. "Dude, are you seriously wearing underwear over tights like that to a Princess Party?" Sam could not contain himself, no matter how much he tried, assuming he did at all.

"Jas found these purple 'shorts' in Marnie's room and insisted they were perfect for a court jester's uniform!" Shane roared defensively. "I'm not gonna say 'no' to her on her birthday, even if it is humiliating."

Sam straightened himself, wiping the tears from the corners of his moss green eyes. "You're right man, I'm sorry." He examined Shane up and down. "I just didn't expect this when I walked into the room. It caught me completely off-guard."

"Speak for yourself," Shane shot back, pointing at his co-worker's attire. "You're wearing a dress."

"It was the dress code for the party, man." Shane did not detect a single shred of shame or defensiveness in his voice. What he would not give for that kind of confidence. The younger man wiggled his hips, "It's actually nice and airy," Sam commented aloud. "Girls have it lucky if they can get this much of a breeze-"

Shane cut him off. "I don't need to hear you talk about your bal-" he stopped immediately when he noticed Emily approaching behind with Vincent in tow.

"The tea is being served," Vincent announced with as much formality as he could muster. "It's time to gather around the table for the party!"

Other than the first initial giggles at his attire and a strange look from his aunt Marnie, the tea party for Jas went without a hitch. All he had to do as a court jester was tell a few bad jokes and try to juggle. All the items Jas and Vincent handed him fell flat on his face, but kids enjoyed physical humor, so it was not so bad after all.

After the guests left and Jas was too exhausted to do much other than get into her pajamas and head straight to bed, Shane and Emily stood in the party room, cleaning up the last remnants of the festivities.

"I think Jas had a lot of fun this evening," Emily told her friend, folding up the tablecloth and draping it over her arm like she often did with napkins at the bar. "She could not stop smiling, it was infectious!"

Shane stacked the chairs atop of one another and shoved them into the corner of the room for now. "As long as she had fun, I guess."

"Oh, don't sell yourself short," the sapphire-haired woman asserted, touching his shoulder lightly. "You do so much to make Jas happy and she clearly adores you."

The oddly dressed man removed the leaf from the table and the two of them pushed the two ends together to become its shorter alternative. "I think she would have been better off with her parents raising her. I can't help but think I'm no good at it," he confessed, sliding the wooden plank into its slot under the rest of the table.

"No good comes from thinking that way," Emily told Shane, "You can't change what happened to her parents and you're doing a great job, Shane." Her small hand reached out for his and gave it a tight squeeze. "And the important thing is that you love Jas. No one doubts that."

Shane's dark eyes avoided Emily's gaze for a moment. "It was supposed to be David and Lila raising her. Not me…" he stifled a sob. "I mean, they were more like parents to me than my own. They were way more qualified than I'll-"

Emily pressed a finger to his lips. He could feel her entire body trembling, though he could not figure out why. "Shane, look at me," the woman demanded. "I know it's easy to go back down that dark path in your mind, but you need to trust me. It's only going to make you suffer. So please, please believe me when I say that no one in this town thinks of you like that. You're a great father-figure to Jas, okay?" she pleaded gently. "You deserve to live in the present…" She paused briefly, before posing a question. "Why don't you imagine what they would tell you right now? I'll bet they would be singing your praises too!"

Shane sniffled, wiping the snot from his nose with his sleeve. "Dammit, Emily. Why do you have to be so damn nice all the time?"

"It's not just being nice if it's true," she reasoned, pulling his head toward her shoulder so he could lean on her. "Now why don't you tell me some of the good things that Jas' parents taught you? Maybe that will help you shift your perspective…"

"Fine, you win…"


	8. More Than Meets the Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet returns to the clinic to apologize for yesterday's mishap. Penny drops off her edits to Elliott's manuscript. Curious about this mysterious traveling merchant Violet told him about, Doctor Harvey wanders to the Cindersap Forest to meet Talla. The gang enjoys their Friday evening at The Stardrop Saloon.

Violet peered inside hesitantly before stepping foot into the clinic. While typically there were no private appointments to interrupt in the waiting room, the farmer's record this week was a stunning reflection on her ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Luckily for her, the room was empty, save for Doctor Harvey. He stood at the counter, organizing a stack of file folders. The brunet man turned and smiled at Violet when he noticed her presence in the doorway. "Ah, Violet! I was just about to write you a letter."

"Of condemnation?" the young woman joked nervously. The cultivator hesitantly approached the clinician. "I wanted to swing by and apologize for yesterday. My reminder card got wet and I thought I could still read it well enough, but clearly I was way off-base…" Violet explained.

Harvey glanced at his notes, "Actually, you were only a week early." The mustache of his face twitched as he chuckled. "And I think your brief interruption actually took the edge off the awkwardness, so although I don't condone breaking doctor-patient confidentiality, I think your accidental interruption actually helped yesterday."

Violet blushed. "I don't see how in the world that's possible," the woman replied doubtfully, "but I'll take your word for it…" She made sure to avoid eye contact while she found herself picturing Sebastian's half-naked body in her head again. This was not a good time, she scolded her brain.

The bespectacled man tucked the manila folders back into their proper place. "You know, since you're here we may as well do your annual check-up now," he reasoned. "That way you don't have to come by the same morning as Luau."

Of course, now that she heard the word "luau" again, Violet remembered that the medic had mentioned it when they originally scheduled last season. If only she had just asked like a sensible person.

Doctor Harvey took her silence as hesitation. "Now, now… There's no need to worry. It'll be quick and painless. Please follow me." The man turned on his heels and led the way back to the exam room, though Violet already knew where it was located thanks to the events the day before.

As they entered the small room, the medical professional swapped his green suit jacket for his white lab coat and donned a pair of gloves for sanitary purposes. The man gestured to the table, "Hop on up, Violet," he instructed.

With a bit of effort due to her lack of height, Violet was able to perch herself on the edge of the exam table. The man approached the table and bent over slightly so they were face-to-face. "Say 'ahhh…' for me," he ordered quietly as he pressed the small wooden tongue depressor into her mouth for a better look. "Okay, you can stop now," he informed his new patient, tossing the stick into the trash.

Harvey looked at her head-on and clarified the next step. "I just need to check your vitals now." Using the stethoscope, the practitioner requested Violet breathe deeply in and out. After a moment's pause, he gently took the farmer's wrist and lightly pressed two fingers against it. "Hm… Your pulse is high," he muttered softly, standing back up to his full height.

"I'm… just a little nervous," Violet clarified sheepishly. "The last time I went to a hospital - other than yesterday, I mean - was when my grandparents died…"

"Oh! Hospitals make you nervous, then?" he replied understandingly. "I don't blame you, the loss of a loved one is not a happy time," Harvey added thoughtfully. The doctor stepped back to better see Violet. "Let's see if we can break that association a bit."

His hands reached to lightly touch the farmer's shoulders. "Just try and relax," he instructed. "I'm here to help."

Violet closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing and after a while, she felt the pressure of Doctor Harvey's fingers on her wrist again. "Much better!" He praised the young woman. "Well, then! You seem very healthy, Violet." The practitioner offered a hand to help her down from the exam table, indicating the end of the wellness exam. "Just make sure not to overwork yourself on that farm of yours!"

"I'll do my best," the crop grower answered. Violet wondered if she could make some small talk to get to know Harvey better. All they seemed to talk about was work-related for him, after all. The young woman felt badly about it. "So it's Friday. Do you have any plans after work today?"

"Oh, not much," Harvey answered dismissively. "I usually close early on Fridays to go grocery shopping and just enjoy the rest of the day to unwind." His dark eyes glanced at his newest patient. "How about you, Violet?"

The young woman considered briefly before she said, "Well, it's Friday. So I'll probably eat with Leah and Elliott at the saloon tonight and then play a game of pool with Abigail, Sam, and Sebastian. Shane and Leah played with us last time, so they might join. I guess we'll see." Violet then remembered one other important person to see on Fridays. "Oh, and I'll probably go see what Talla has in stock today."

"Talla?" Harvey repeated curiously. That name did not ring a bell for him. "Another friend of yours coming to visit?" the mustached man inquired to clarify.

Violet seemed surprised that a local did not know about the traveling merchant who came to town. "Talla is the woman who sells goods from overseas in the Cindersap Forest on Fridays and Sundays. I got a great deal on a pomegranate sapling from her a while back." The pastel-haired woman saw a flash of interest in Harvey's eyes behind the thick lenses of his glasses. "You should swing by!" Violet pronounced encouragingly. "Talla is a really interesting person. I'll probably head over there now, if you want to join."

The medical professional shook his head to decline. "I appreciate the offer, but I still have some work to do before I close for the day," Harvey informed the woman, lifting his clipboard slightly to emphasize his point. "Thanks for stopping in, though. I'll see you around."

* * *

Penny stood in front of the weathered old house on the beach, shifting her weight anxiously between each foot shifting in the sand. She wanted to knock to announce her presence, but the brunette hesitated, her hand hovering just inches from the door. Elliott was not expecting her, she just showed up unannounced the instant she finished the edits she made to his manuscript. Surely a business-related visit was not unwelcome?

Finally, after a deep breath, she rapped on the entrance to Elliott's home. The young woman's heart began to race as she heard footsteps approaching and the door swung open to reveal an unusually disheveled Elliott.

"Oh, good morning, Miss Penelope," he greeted his guest. "Come in." Elliott's long tawny hair was tousled to one side, as if he had been resting his head on his hand for a long period of time. His wine-colored jacket was unbuttoned with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Penny blinked, unsure of what to say now that she was in Elliott's house.

The author seemed to catch on that something was amiss and in his habit, left the door ajar as an assurance to others that nothing inappropriate was happening between those in the house. "Oh, I apologize for the state of my appearance," he apologized to Penny bashfully. "I have been up all night writing in a frenzy. Please do not be alarmed. I'm dreadfully sorry that you had to see me in this manner."

"Should I come back later?" the visitor suggested. "So you can get some rest after all that work…"

Elliott shook his head. "Oh, no! Please do not feel obligated to leave so immediately. I would love to know what brought you to my humble shack."

Penny's cheeks tinged slightly pink as she noticed that Elliott had a few buttons undone on his wrinkled white shirt, but she kept her composure. "I... finished the edits I promised you," she informed the weary author, offering her work to its original owner.

The man's smile broadened. "My word, Miss Penelope," he expressed his awe as he flipped through the pages and examined Penny's notes in the margins. "I am impressed you have finished already!"

"I… couldn't put it down," the editor confessed, wringing her hands in front of her nervously. "I might have stayed up late myself, if I am being honest."

Elliott had been so preoccupied how Penny would judge him for his lack of refinement that he only then noticed the purpling circles under her emerald eyes. Yet to him she looked just as stunning. "I am flattered you considered my work worth the effort to remain awake for so long…" he replied earnestly.

Penny gently took the manuscript back from its creator and opened to a page she had specifically marked. She began to read aloud. "Horatio held Clara to him. His gaze softened as his eyes met hers and their hearts palpitating in time with one another - so that neither could differentiate between them. 'Clara, I have traveled the earth, trying to create something beautiful for the rest of the world to remember me by when I am no more.'" Penny's eyes began to water as she read the next part. "'But who would have known the most breath-taking beauty I ever beheld was the eyes of the woman I love? Whenever I see myself reflected in your eyes, Clara, I see a life worth all eternity.'"

The teacher closed the text and held it to her chest. "Elliott, Horatio's confession to Clara is the most romantic, tender scene I have ever read. Thank you for letting me be the first to read it."

He grinned at her slightly, but did not say a word. A silence hung in the air briefly as Elliott turned to stare out the window of his little shack toward the sea. "For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a writer…" he began quietly. "Have I told you that?" He stole a shy glance in Penny's direction as he tucked his long bangs behind his ear.

The poet did not wait for an answer, however. "That's why I live out here by myself. I figured a lonely life by the sea would help me focus on my literary aspirations…" His face appeared doubtful, as the corners of his lips fell downward in a frown. "At least… that's what I told myself for the past year." His voice took on a somber tone as he continued. "Everyone back home assumed I lost my mind... that I could never make it as a writer."

From his mouth escaped an uncomfortable chuckle that made Penny's heart sink as the sound reached her ears. "Can you believe it?" he asked with a sad expression, leaning his palms on the windowsill. "They said 'For every successful author there's 1,000 who fail miserably.'" Elliott sighed, "Such pessimism… it's sickening."

But then the man turned to Penny and she read his face as easily as she did the words on the pages of his manuscript. His honey-hued eyes, though darkened from lack of sleep, still held a dazzling glow. His passion for his art fueled him, body and soul, and Penny wished for nothing more than to witness that flame shine brightly for all to see.

"I can see it in your eyes…" he whispered, and for a moment, Penny thought he was narrating her own thoughts. Elliott beamed down at her and he gently tilted her face up toward his. "You believe in me, Miss Penelope," the author stated happily. "You've got that spark to revitalize my dream..." He lowered his hand back down to his side. "Thank you. I could not have made it this far without you."

He sighed wearily, "Now, if you will excuse me," Elliott pleaded politely. "I must get some rest…"

"Oh! O-of course!" Penny agreed, taking her leave quickly and shutting the door behind her. Perhaps it was because she stayed awake all night to finish his romance novel, but if she did not know any better, Penny thought she felt a hint of desire in the way the author gazed into her eyes. The young woman leaned against the threshold of Elliott's shack for a moment, brushing her fingertips to where Elliott touched her face. Then again, Penny realized she might be projecting her own feelings upon the beautiful man of her dreams.

* * *

Violet sold her first crop of peppers to Pierre before she headed to the Cindersap Forest. While the farmer could not trust to find another deal like her pomegranate sapling, she found it was best to have as much money as possible before meeting the merchant just in case. The forest seemed especially alive today as the birds and insects called to one another in the summer heat.

As she passed the pond, Violet heard the sounds of a bullfrog and thought fondly of the days she tried to catch them with her grandfather. They never did manage to snag one before the creature hopped to the safety of the water, but Violet recalled how enjoyable it was to have an adult indulge her silly ideas of fun. It was one of those rare moments of pure joy. Then again, those times were far more frequent the summers she came to stay with her grandparents. Perhaps that was why she found herself missing them more often now that the sun lingered in the sky longer each day.

The brightly painted cart was parked in its usual spot next to the largest tree in the forest. Talla waved to greet Violet as her customer approached. "Good morning, Talla!" the young woman said cheerfully. "How are you today?"

The corners of Talla's mouth curved upward slightly. "I am doing well, little flower," the teal-haired woman responded. "Have you come to do business?" she asked directly.

"That's the hope!" Violet assured the trader, reaching her hand up to accept the catalog for today's inventory. There was not much that interested the farmer today, but she wanted to keep a good business relationship with Talla, so she decided to purchase another rare seed. "How has business been today, Talla?" the young woman enquired as she handed the gold to pay for her merchandise to the traveler.

"Slow," the businesswoman sighed regretfully. "It seems you are the only one who notices my shop lately, little flower," she lamented, smoothing the skirt of her dress. "Then again, I suppose those like us often find each other's' company."

The vendor's wording caught Violet's attention. "Those like us?" she repeated questioningly, putting the seed packet into her ruby red bag. She should really upgrade that soon, Violet thought off-handedly.

Talla looked down at her incredulously, as if the woman could not believe Violet did not understand her meaning. "The daughters of the goddesses…" she verbalized plainly. "You command the forest spirits and you can also hear my songs in their native tongue." The woman leaned forward and Violet could have sworn she heard water sloshing about somewhere in the cart beyond her line of sight. "Surely you know this?"

"I mean… I can see the Junimos," the pastel-haired woman admitted. Violet could see the exasperation in Talla's expression and she noticed a strange flicker in the deep blue of the woman's eyes. "Is… everything okay?"

Talla muttered under her breath something about the earth being unclear, which Violet did not understand in the slightest. She finally spoke up. "It is nothing of importance, young one." The dealer tossed a small stone to the farmer and Violet caught it, much to her surprise.

It was a small pendant carved to look like a tree, attached to a leather cord. The stone appeared to be jade or some similarly colored mineral. "What's this?" Violet inquired cautiously.

Talla held up her own necklace, a golden nautilus shell on a brilliant chain of matching metal. "It is… for storage of energy," she explained slowly, as if she were trying to find the best translation for the words as she went along. "But it is only of use to beings like us." She tilted her chin toward the jade pendant. "That belonged to the one before you," she informed her customer. "Your grandmother, I think? It was surrendered to me to keep safe." The teal-haired woman rubbed her temples, as if she were trying to awaken a memory. "Something went wrong with the bloodline, from what I hear. I do not know much outside my domain."

"So you're saying necklace was my granny's?" Violet recapitulated doubtfully. "And you're giving it to me…"

The woman in the sapphire dress nodded gravely. "Yes, little flower. It should help you better understand your role," Talla told her client. "If you please, I feel ill from the heat. I must rest." The shutters to the cart closed shut tightly and Violet blinked in surprise.

"Thank you for the gift!" Violet exclaimed appreciatively at a much higher volume than normal. She hoped Talla heard her inside the cart. "I hope you feel better soon!"

* * *

After fetching his supply of groceries for the upcoming week from Pierre's General Store and tucking them away in his tiny kitchen, Doctor Harvey decided to figuratively throw his schedule out the window and visit the mysterious merchant in Cindersap Forest. If nothing else, the brunet decided, he could introduce himself to a member of the community.

Since Violet mentioned Talla was a traveling shopkeeper, the physician decided to bring some of his overstock in medicines and general supplies in case she might be interested. Surely a trader could reach areas that did not have a local doctor and therefore needed these products. It would be better than having them sit on a shelf to gather dust before expiring.

The mustached man took his time walking to the southern edge of town before heading west toward the old forest. As the path transitioned from a proper road, to a dirt path, to grass, Harvey noticed that the normal daytime sounds of the forest slowly faded from his perception as he heard the haunting song coming from beyond the trees ahead.

_Do you hear my voice from the deep?_

_Come to me, it takes just one leap_

_Dare you answer my call, dear one?_

_By my side, your lonely fate's undone_

_Lonely soul, come follow my song_

_Toward the maid to whom you belong_

The woman paused when she noticed him and released her breath without tune. Her eyes reminded Harvey of the ocean on a sunny day, though there was something about the way they focused upon him that made the doctor uneasy for a moment before the fleeting anxiety dissolved.

To say she was beautiful would be an understatement. Harvey had never seen anyone as stunning as the one before him. "Hello, good sir…" she greeted the physician with a charming smile. “What brings you to my cart?"

Harvey cleared his throat, which he found to be inexplicably dry for someone who made a point to hydrate often. "I uh… heard from Violet that you came to town on Fridays and Sundays," he replied. "I realized we have not met, so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself and see what goods you have to offer."

The mustached man offered a handshake in introduction. "I'm Harvey, the local doctor here in Pelican Town."

"Ah, a doctor…" she repeated thoughtfully. Her hand was strangely smooth and cool to the touch, as if crafted from soft rubber. The clinician might have felt alarmed at first, but on a hot day like this, the sensation relaxed Harvey. "I am Talla, a traveling merchant," the woman greeted him in a thick Gotoran accent. While the man had not expected to hear the mother tongue of those with whom his country was at war, it made a certain amount of sense. Wartime provided all sorts of opportunities for the bold and stupid. Seeing as how this woman was still alive and appeared completely intact, Harvey chose to guess she was the first type. "Would you care to see my wares?" she asked him, pulling a list with pictures from her cart and handing it to him.

Harvey looked it over and did not find anything of interest right away, but he wanted to leave a good impression. "Do you buy things as well?" the doctor wanted to know.

She hesitated, her coral-pink lips pursed as she considered her answer. Harvey assumed it was because she was not speaking her first language, but he took that back once she answered. "It depends on what you offer up for sale," she responded coyly. "And if it is worth my time and money."

Her gaze made Harvey shift his weight uncomfortably, though he was not sure what about her made him feel so on-edge. Yes, she was a gorgeous woman, but surely that was not all it took to incapacitate his senses like this? Without a word, Harvey hoisted up his bag of surplus medical supplies. Talla's sapphire eyes widened with interest. "Medicine… is of great value on the front," she admitted reluctantly. "I could make use of these." Talla tugged at the long sleeves of her dress and for the first time, Harvey noticed much of her body was covered. How was she not suffering from heat stroke in this weather?

"Are you still willing to sell to me, knowing that these medicines may fall into the hands of the soldiers your country fights against?"

The brunet nodded gravely. "I'm a doctor of medicine. If these supplies can help those who need it, that is all I need to know," he answered firmly. "Though perhaps keep that between us," Harvey chortled in a low voice. "I imagine the government would not like to hear such things from its citizens."

Talla smiled broadly. "I am nothing if not discreet, Doctor," she cooed, tucking the newly purchased goods into a small compartment in the wall of her cart. She lowered a pouch down to Harvey and even before opening it, he felt the weight of the gold inside and knew it was likely enough to cover his expenses for the rest of the year.

"I cannot accept this much…" he told Talla firmly, though the business man in him knew his expense audit later this month would make him regret this later. "Please, I'll take less payment if it means that these goods are priced to become available to everyone and not just the higher-ups on the front."

Talla's laughter sounded like a tinkling bell to his ears. "Oh, you are more naive than I expected, Doctor," she scolded him. "If I lower the prices, those in power will simply buy them all up and sell for a higher price than mine," the businesswoman reasoned. "Besides, if I am in a small town such as this, what makes you believe I am in the business of selling to fat-pursed generals?"

Harvey felt a bit embarrassed for not trusting a professional's judgement. He imagined it felt similarly to when people second-guessed his diagnoses, even if they were well-intentioned. "My apologies…"

"No matter, Doctor…" Talla said dismissively. She lowered her head onto her arms, which rested on the counter of her cart. "After hearing your words today... perhaps we can make another arrangement in the future?"

"W-what do you mean?" Harvey stuttered, surprised by her intent to stare into his eyes.

Talla flashed her teeth at him in a wide grin. "Come and see me again a few times before the full moon, and I will decide whether or not you are suitable."

Before Harvey could get more details, the woman sighed deeply. "Excuse me, Doctor. I am tired from my travels. If you do not wish to buy anything, I would like to rest now."

Harvey stumbled in his words. "Oh! Uh, of course, miss," he acquiesced, pocketing the gold in the pocket of his green jacket and backing away from the cart immediately. "If you feel ill, please be sure to stop by the clinic and I will help you any way I can!"

Talla nodded, closing her eyes as if in meditation. "Good-bye, Doctor. I hope to see you again soon." She then began to sing what Harvey assumed could only be the ending of the song he heard as he approached the cart.

_But be forewarned, I cannot take blame_

_If it is not I who cries out your name_

_Declare your intent or turn back and run_

_Make your choice now! My hunt has begun…_

* * *

"I feel like I haven't seen you both in ages!" Leah complained before stuffing her mouth full of salad. It had only been nine days since the three of them had last been together, but it seemed like so much had happened in that short time.

While she wanted to tease her friend about her neediness, Violet could not help but feel a bit guilty. "I felt so socially exhausted after the Flower Dance and having Bex stay over for a few days. I'm surprised you two still didn't meet up," the pastel-haired woman told the artist.

"I am afraid I was held captive by an insistent muse," Elliott replied apologetically. "I worked tirelessly until I fell asleep from exhaustion."

Leah practically choked on her greens. "Is that your way of telling me you had a hot date?"

Violet hid her laughter behind her hand, catching on to the innuendo that could be read in Elliott's excuse. "My, I did not realize you and Penny were that serious!" she kidded, joining in Leah's fun at the author's expense.

Elliott flushed when he realized what the women at the table were implying.

"Certainly not! I am a gentleman," he insisted at once, crossing his arms across himself protectively before taking a sip of his wine. The robust denial in combination with the guilty look in his face made the duo skeptical, however.

"Hey, gentlemen are just the men who make sure that their ladies finish, too," Violet simpered, prompting a quick high five from Leah for the excellent follow-up.

"Damn, I need to sit with you guys sometime. Who knew you all were a bunch of dirty jokesters?" Sam chimed, pulling up a seat and sitting in it backward, so that he hugged the back of the chair. Sebastian and Abigail followed suit and crowded around the table. The amethyst-haired woman noticed that neither Violet nor Sebastian looked at each other directly, but kept stealing glances. Did something happen?

While Elliott wanted to defend his honor, he kept silent for fear of giving his friends more ammunition for their inappropriate humor at his expense. So, the larger group chatted about their week until Violet and Leah had finished their meals. Everyone else had either opted to eat beforehand or were only here for drinks anyway.

Violet was the first to pose the question. "So, how are we doing teams this week?" Her blue eyes rested on the woman beside her. "Leah, are you in this week?"

The artist rested her elbows on the table and sipped her red wine. "Not today," she answered. "Elliott and I have some collaborative work to do." The author seemed puzzled for a moment, but after a quick wink from his companion, he caught on.

"Yes, I am afraid you will have to go on without us," Elliott added, pulling out a notebook from his suit pocket. "There is much work to be done."

Sam leapt to his feet. "I'll go check if Shane is gonna play," he said before trotting over to the hearth to greet his stubbly co-worker.

The blond had yet to ask the question when Shane growled "no" into his pint. "Aw, c'mon, fam," Sam whined, but he felt a light touch on his shoulder. It was Emily, who quickly pulled Sam off to the side for a hushed word. "Shane is having a bad day," she warned him. "That awful boss put him on some kind of 'probation' for leaving early yesterday for Jas' party."

The skater scowled, "Ah, fuck Morris, man." His moss green eyes shot a quick look at his disgruntled co-worker. "Shane isn't a slacker like me, they need to treat him better!"

Emily nodded. "We both know Shane has an unbeatable work ethic," she concurred, "but that doesn't change what happened. Jobs in this town are hard to come by and meanie Morris sees Shane as expendable."

Sam's expression softened when he saw the look in Emily's warm brown eyes. "Is there anything I can do?"

The barkeep sighed. "I'm doing what I can, but I don't think you should push him too much tonight. He's… caught in the darkest place I've ever seen him." She glanced at the blond. "I'm scared for him," she confessed quietly.

Making sure to look at Emily, Sam made her a promise, "If there's anything I can do, just say the word." He pulled some cash out of his back pocket and slapped it into her hand. "Get Shane some poppers on me, okay?"

Tucking the money into the pocket of her apron, Emily's red lips stretched in a grin, but it did not reach her eyes. It must be really bad if even happy-go-lucky Emily could not manage a genuine smile. "Thank you, Sam. Go on and crush the competition!" she added encouragingly.

Sam winked as he wandered off toward the arcade. "You know it."

* * *

Unfortunately for Sam, he could not live up to Emily's kind words. After the debacle last time with cut throat pool in which Sam did a decent job of sinking shots - though really it was Shane who carried his team to victory - Abigail insisted since they were a couple, they should form a team to defeat Violet and Sebastian.

Either way, the blond was off his game comparatively and their opponents quashed their hopes and dreams quickly. Even Violet made a few successful turns - to the point where she sank the winning shot.

Her eyes widened in shock when the eight ball dropped into the corner pocket and she hopped up and down squealing with delight. Sebastian, unsure of how to react to Violet's level of enthusiasm, but still also pumped that his losing streak was finally over, simply held out his arms and caught the farmer mid-jump. He swayed slightly, before Violet wrapped her legs around his waist so she would not fall before slowly sliding down his body to the point where she could safely plant her feet back on the ground.

Sam recognized the panic in his best friend's eyes as he went from pasty white boy to lobster red. As both Sebastian's wing man and the better half of their dynamic duo, the blond decided to intervene with a distraction. "Hey, I've been thinking about what we could do to learn more about that weird tapestry," the skater informed the group. "Do you guys wanna check out the mines tomorrow?"

"Of course!" Violet responded eagerly. "It'll be so much easier with a group and maybe we can make progress more quickly and find out more about the lower levels of the mine."

Abigail's eyes lit up. "You mean I'll get a chance to use my sword?" she thought aloud. "Hell yeah, I'm in!"

Sam gave an approving look. "Noon tomorrow?" he proposed. The skater could not help but be turned on by how fired up Abigail got when she handled a deadly weapon. "You're gonna slay all the monsters dead, I just know it."

Abigail sniffed in amusement. "I'll need to protect my unarmed boyfriend," she badgered her significant other, giving his shoulder a playful shove.

"I got two arms right here, babe," he replied, smoothly wrapping his arms around her waist and engulfing her in his denim jacket. Abigail huffed, but did not directly object to the display of affection.

"Get a room, you two," Sebastian nagged half-heartedly, tossing the blue chalk square at them. Sam dodged, bringing Abigail along with him. The chalk cube fell to the floor and rolled out of sight.

"We're going to head out," Abigail told their friends, yanking on Sam's t-shirt. "See you at the mine entrance tomorrow!" she called as the two love birds rounded the corner into the main room of the bar to leave.

The programmer sighed heavily. "They didn't even wait for me to confirm whether or not I was coming," he muttered under his breath. His dark eyes scanned the room, only to find Violet missing as well. When did she sneak out?

Then Sebastian noticed movement on the ground beyond the pool table. "What are you doing on the floor?" he queried the woman crawling on her hands and knees.

"I'm getting the stupid chalk!" the pastel-haired woman shot back in annoyance, lowering her head to look under the couch. "Aha! There you are," she exclaimed, talking to the missing cube. Violet dropped her body to the floor to better her reach under the sofa, but the young woman flailed when she realized her arms were too short.

"How about… just lifting the couch rather than trying to squeeze yourself?" Sebastian offered, pulling the furniture up slightly.

"I'm not used to my arm being this swol, I've developed more muscle with all the farming!" Violet pouted at the condescension in his tone, but wiggled her extended arm until it reached the desired item. The farmer pulled the chalk back to her body, covered in fuzz, and dusting her clothes as she rose to her feet. Violet made a silly face trying to resist the itching in her nose, but eventually the dust became too much and she sneezed into her shoulder.

"Here," Sebastian offered, plucking a few dust bunnies entangled in her hair. He noticed Violet's face go a bit red and he suddenly realized how intimate it was to touch another person's head like that.

"Ugh, sorry," he apologized, his face mirroring Violet's. The pastel-haired woman shook her head, her wavy locks brushing past her shoulders now. It was getting longer, Sebastian noticed. He kind of liked it that way. And now that the woman mentioned it, her arms were toned with muscles that were not there the first time they met. Sure, the short woman was no body builder, but Violet had visibly changed since she arrived. She seemed happier, too. Or maybe that was just him.

"It's okay," Violet assured her friend. "It would have been difficult to find them on my own since I can't see them." She tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "I should… probably head home soon if I'm going to go to the mines tomorrow," she stated, gathering her things. Her eyes fluttered upward to meet his gaze. "So… are you coming too?"

Sebastian began walking toward the exit without her and Violet quickly fell into step. "Eh, I guess so. Sam and I usually hang out on Saturdays, so I guess he indirectly canceled those plans." The man looked annoyed, but he was not all that torn up about it. It was good to break up the old routine to curb the cravings. It used to be that he and Sam would stand around outside while he smoked most Saturdays. Since he only had a bit over a week left before he was supposedly done with them, Sebastian did not want to screw it up this far along.

Violet waved good-bye to Elliott and Leah as they passed and opened the door to leave the saloon. She gestured for Sebastian to go first. The hoodie-clad man shrugged and descended the stairs. "Are you going to try out some more spells tomorrow or are you going to bring something to defend yourself?"

"I'll… figure it out," Sebastian replied hesitantly, realizing that Violet was fiddling with something around her neck. It was a piece of jewelry. "What's that?" he inquired curiously. The insecure part of him wondered if it was from her ex.

"It was my grandma's," Violet answered, holding the pendant away from her neck so he could better see. He got closer to inspect it, since the lamplight only helped so much.

It was a jade tree on a leather cord, but the detail for something so small was incredible in its own way. "That's kinda cool," he said, secretly relieved that the pendant was a family heirloom of sorts. "It suits you."

Violet smiled shyly and was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Sorry… about yesterday," she apologized. "I got my dates mixed up and-"

Sebastian cut her off before she went on an apologetic rant. "I figured it was revenge for the first time we met," he chuckled, shoving his hands into his hoodie pouch. "I guess we're even now, right?" he added with a smirk. _Oh, fuck. Did that come off as weird as he thought it did? It sounded smoother in my head…_

Despite his inner panic, Violet giggled. "I'm not that devious!" she refuted his accusation. "But I suppose we're even now." He noticed the farmer avert her gaze, "Though really, I think you technically got a much longer look than I did. I covered my eyes immediately."

Sebastian's ink black eyes glanced down at her. "So what, you want me to take my shirt off so you can stare for a good thirty seconds?" he asked sarcastically.

Violet became visibly red, even in the moonlight as she waved her arms in front of her defensively. "No! That isn't what I meant at all!" she protested desperately. Her deep blue eyes were wide as saucers and Sebastian could not but burst out laughing.

"Chill, I was only teasing you."

The young woman's cheeks puffed out in bottled up annoyance. It was adorable. "Well, next time be careful or I might call your bluff!" she cried indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sure you will," he countered doubtfully. He tilted his head toward the farm. "You want me to walk you home?"

Violet declined. "No, I'll be fine," she told her friend. The pastel-haired woman beamed at him. "I actually need to go to bed early and there's this weird trend that whenever you walk me home I stay up later than I expect."

Sebastian could not defend himself from her statement. "Yeah, okay. I'll steal your comics another time," he teased, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. He paused, unsure of what to do to ensure she got home safely without being weird. "Maybe just text me to make sure you get home okay?" the dark-haired man suggested.

"Only if you do, too," Violet agreed, holding up her phone in emphasis. It was clearly dead and the farmer paled as Sebastian's smirk only widened across his face. "I'll plug it in as soon as I get home!" she swore, charging westward before Sebastian could change his mind and accompany her anyway.

"You'd better!" he called afterward, watching her disappear into the dark beyond the lamplight of the Square. Sebastian turned to take the trail home up the mountain and realized his face hurt a bit from smiling, but he did not mind.


	9. To the Mines!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haley goes to ask Leah for a favor and accidentally walks in during an embarrassing phone call. Violet, Sam, Abigail, and Sebastian all go to the mines to see what they can find.

Haley gripped the strap of her camera bag, her fingers nervously fidgeting around the rough nylon as she headed west toward the Cindersap Forest. It was a cloudy day which cast a soft, even light on everything below, even if it was still plenty warm outside. The blonde hoped that Leah would be willing to model for her, but now that the shutterbug was within sight of the red-head's cottage, her nerves began to waver.

The photographer would have asked her sister to pose for her. After all, the theme for this contest was "serenity" and while Emily's behavior practically screamed "weirdo," snapping photos of her during one of her hippie meditations would probably hit the mark. But, of course on the day Haley needed Emily to be her annoyingly sunshiny self, her older sister was a complete bummer today. Something about that slob, Shane. Haley still had trouble figuring out why Emily bothered being friends with him. If he were a happy drunk, that might solve half the problem, but the guy was a totally rude asshole.

Whatever, she was not about to start getting on Emily about her friends. It's not like she had anyone other than Alex anyway. Besides, Haley desperately wanted to enter this contest. It could be the step between photography as a hobby and something more. Even if she did not place in the top three - which would result in prize money - if Haley made it into the top ten or so, the blonde felt all of her time, effort, and money spent on improving her skills and buying new equipment would have been worth it.

Leah did seem interested in Haley's photography hobby, even if it was not her art medium of choice. While Haley thought she could potentially ask Violet, the farmer was more likely to be busy - and covered in dirt - than Leah.

The solid wood door with copper bar accents intimidated her more than it should. Leah's house was so unique. Between the rounded door, the artisan windows and the maroon trim of the siding, Haley realized that by comparison, her parents' house screamed with lack of personality. If it had not been for the little garden in front, it would just be another boring beige house like the suburbs in which she and Emily grew up. Somehow, even if she did not know this was Leah's residence, Haley thought that the cottage perfectly suited the ginger.

Haley was fairly certain that Leah was home. The blonde did not see her at the beach earlier this morning, so Leah must be working on some art at home. Hearing a muttered voice on the other side of the door, the photographer decided to enter the tiny cottage before she bailed on the whole idea.

"Kel…" Haley heard Leah's voice address someone in annoyance. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't want to come back to the city!" the red-head complained angrily. Looking around, the blonde realized that Leah was talking to someone on the phone.

"Stop calling me…" Leah ordered the person on the other end of the line. "I don't want to hear from you anymore!" the artist slammed the old phone back onto the receiver.

It did not take long for the denizen of the home to realize that she was not alone. "Haley!" Leah's grey eyes widened, mortified that someone overheard her private phone call. She exhaled deeply, glancing away to hide her shame. "So I guess you heard me yelling on the phone?"

"Yeah, it was hard not to hear…" Haley admitted, looking around the room to admire Leah's decor choices. For such a small house, it felt light and roomy. In fact, the air even felt fresh in here. Was it because Leah lived in the forest or was it all her healthy houseplants?

"That was my ex…" Leah explained reluctantly. "We…" she paused, clearly lost for words. Finally, after a moment of silence, she tugged at her long braid, shook her head, and sighed. "I guess I'd better tell you a little bit about it…"

Haley was not sure if she should object or just let Leah spill the tea on all her past relationship drama. The blonde figured it would probably be something more interesting than most of the town gossip right now. All that Pelican Town had going for it right now was that Marnie and Lewis' relationship might be on the rocks and that Sam was recently caught cross-dressing. The first was not surprising in the least, since the old man acted ashamed of the rancher for some unknown reason.

Really, the geezer should be grateful that any woman even looked at him. That disproportional mustache and ugly hat were doing Lewis absolutely zero favors. As for Sam, the skater was shameless and did not care that he wore a dress to a little girl's birthday party, so there was really no point in trying to make anything of it. Haley braced herself for potential boredom, but found herself oddly interested right off the bat.

"We had an apartment together, back in the city," Leah began hesitantly.

"It must have been pretty serious if you two were living together," Haley thought aloud, realizing that perhaps the blonde's attempt to kiss Leah at the Flower Dance was seriously more of a problem than Leah let on.

Leah nodded and continued her story. "I did odd jobs during the day and spent all night working on art projects…" Her grey gaze fixed upon a knot in the wood on the wall paneling, "We barely made enough to scrape by." From Haley's perspective, this "Kel" already sounded like a bum if Leah was working day and night and they still had trouble affording to live in the city. Then again, even ZuZu could get expensive for an artist when sales were few and far between.

"She was always nagging me to go back to school and study business or medicine…" the sculptor added, the resentment in her voice practically dripping off her peach-hued lips, "something with a lot of money in it." Haley could tell that Leah had totally not dealt with all the baggage from this part of her dating history.

The artist fiddled with her braid between her fingers, as they were curling wands. "I guess the idea was to save up for a normal life. You know… a house in the suburbs, kids, PTA meetings… that sort of thing."

"Ugh," Haley reacted in disgust. While she was open to the idea of having kids in the future, the other two sounded completely gag-worthy.

Leah's lips tugged back in a small smile at the utterance of agreement. "I wasn't ready for that kind of life, Haley… I had to leave." The older of the two gestured at the entirety of her living space. "So I came here to pursue my dream of being an artist."

The woman's body language shifted from anger to self-doubt as Leah's posture shriveled in onto itself and she held herself protectively. "Was that selfish of me, Haley?" It was bizarre to witness such a reversal of Leah's usual behavior. She always held her ground before, but now the ginger looked so… vulnerable. Haley wanted the confident Leah back.

"No, it was the right call," Haley answered bluntly. "You don't seem like the type to do the whole scripted 'married with kids and a white picket fence' type…"

"You're right…" Leah conceded, quietly. Though Haley doubted the sculptor fully believed that in the moment. There was still some lingering guilt or something else ridiculous. "I just wouldn't have been happy back there."

Haley drove the point home. "And if you're not ready to settle down, it's only going to hurt the people around you when you freak out that you never spoke your truth or whatever." The photographer scoffed, "Can you imagine having a kid and not wanting to be a parent? That would be a nightmare for everyone."

Something changed in Leah's eyes as she considered Haley's words. This time, the artist spoke more firmly."It was better for both of us…" she agreed, "to end an unsustainable relationship while we were still young and flexible."

"Well, thanks for listening to me. It's good to have a friend." Leah beamed at her, and Haley tugged at the skirt of her blue dress uncomfortably. This was the first time in at least ten years that another girl called her a "friend." Since puberty Haley had been surrounded by insincere "BFFs" who disappeared when she really needed someone. She got the attention of most of the popular guys and that made her enemy number one with most of the other girls around her. Sometimes Haley wished she were not such a blonde bombshell. Sometimes.

But in this case, Leah was not in competition with her. In fact, Haley could not believe she did not think of hanging out with super chill lesbians sooner. Then again, she had not met any that were out of the closet, if she knew any at all. Or had she just been totally oblivious? Whatever. The fact was Leah called her a friend and it was both exciting and weird for her. "You think of us as friends?" Haley repeated hesitantly.

Leah frowned. "Do you… not want to be friends?"

Haley wobbled her head vigorously. "No! That's not what I meant, it's just… I haven't had one of those in a long time." She rolled her blue eyes. "Except for Alex, but he doesn't count like that. He's a guy."

For some reason unknown to Haley, Leah laughed at that. "I see." She leaned on the small table that housed her phone. "So, what brought you to my humble art studio today?"

The photographer lifted her camera bag. "I was hoping… you could model for me. Cloudy days are best for portraiture." She bit her bottom lip nervously. "Sunny days cast harsh shadows on people's faces and Emily's…" Ugh, how would she describe what her sister was up to today? Moping? Getting bummed about someone else's depression? The blonde released her breath in annoyance, settling with "Busy today."

"Sure, I could use a break from my work today," Leah answered, much to Haley's surprise.

Haley looked at her neighbor doubtfully. "You mean it?"

Leah shrugged. "I doubt I'm going to get much work done after that conversation with Kel, so why not?"

The photographer sniffed in amusement. "Well, when you put it that way…" she relented with a wide grin, her eyes sparkling. "Now for your wardrobe…"

Leah's face fell in a panic. "Hold up! I never said anything about -!"

"Oh, just trust me. You'll look great!" Haley assured her, trying to snatch away the lesbian's suspenders.

* * *

When she woke the next morning, Violet checked the luck forecast given by Welwick. Sure enough, the mysterious woman stated her claim: "The spirits are very happy today! They will do their best to shower everyone with good fortune!" A purple star hovered above her before the screen went blank. The pastel-haired woman wondered if Sam knew today was going to be a lucky day when he suggested they all go to the abandoned mines today or whether it was purely coincidental. Either way, Violet had some chores around the farm to do before she left to join her friends.

The young woman was surprised to find that she was the last person to arrive in the mines, since she was still a few minutes early. Then again, Violet's usual farming duties came first whereas the others likely did not have anything else to do on a Saturday morning. In preparation, the farmer made sure to make a large batch of field snacks for the whole group to keep up their energy. The seeds were not the most delicious form of nutrition, but they did the trick

It took only a moment to notice the pent-up energy rolling off of Abigail. She wore her hair up all the way today, to keep it out of her face. The woman swung her sword a few times at an invisible enemy, just for practice as they devised a plan.

"So our mission today is to get as deep into the mines as possible," Violet indicated as she rolled out a large piece of paper, depicting all that she knew from her previous experiences at the mines. There were crude drawings of potential enemies - not-Digletts, slimes, crabs, large bugs. Thankfully no spiders, or Abigail would have a problem, Violet discovered when the younger woman made the inquiry. "The more we discover about these caverns, the more potential clues we can find regarding the tapestry and the town's history."

Violet glanced up at the group, who formed a half-circle around her. "I also have some side quests from the Junimos that I personally want to address, but that's not our main objective."

Abigail tilted her head in surprise. "What could the Junimos possibly want that they can't get themselves?" she wondered aloud.

Violet gesticulated, going over the itemized list she wrote down after viewing the golden tablets in the Community Center on her way here. "Well, I'm not sure why, but they want the following: Copper, iron, and gold bars; a frozen tear and a fire quartz, and two of the four following objects: 99 slimes, ten bat wings, a solar essence, and a void essence."

"Is there a reward for these side quests?" Sebastian questioned sarcastically.

Violet chuckled, "Actually, yes. The mine carts will be fixed if we're able to gather all these items."

"You mean those could work again?" Sam asked enthusiastically. "Fam, I've always wanted to ride in one of those!"

"Well, once we've collected everything and the Junimos fix them, everyone is welcome to use them," Violet promised the group. "Honestly, the one most useful for the rest of the town is going to be the most expensive. I don't know what the Junimos are going to do with all that money, though…"

"Most useful for the town?" Sebastian repeated quizzically, leaning against the wall of the cave behind him. "What did they offer?"

"They offered to repair the bus."

Abigail threaded her sword through a leather loop attached to her belt, since she lacked a proper sheath. "That's definitely something I would want to have in town again. How much did they ask for?" the amethyst-haired woman probed curiously.

Violet did some quick math in her head. "In total: 42,500 gold," she detailed with a forlorn sigh.

Sam whistled at the large figure. "That's gonna take some time to make that kind of money." He pondered for a moment. "But not gonna lie, it would be cool to have a cheap ride to Zuzu on a regular schedule. Doing concerts in the city might be doable after that," he added, giving a pointed look to the members of the band.

The farmer agreed. "No kidding…" She rolled her cave guide back up and placed it in her bag. "Which is why I think it would be best to divide and conquer when we enter the mines." Violet pointed to the elevator, "So far, every time I've explored down to a level that's a multiple of five, the elevator on that floor re-activates." She hoped her assumption based on her experience proved to be the continuing trend. "Since I've already made some progress, we can start on the fifteenth level of the mines today. Unless you all want to ease into things by starting at the beginning…"

As a group, they quickly decided that between the four of them, starting a bit further in the mines should not pose a problem. Violet continued. "I have a rusty old sword that I can either wield myself or one of you can borrow," the farmer informed the gang, emptying her bag to display her gear. "The pickaxe is for mining ore and gems," Violet explained. "The ore may not be valuable to you all, but I need it to upgrade my tools and eventually to make things like sprinklers for my crops." She looked up at her friends with a smile, "So I don't mind doing all the tedious work so long as the offensive team can keep the monsters at bay."

Abigail's lips pulled back toward her ears, a fire in her bright blue eyes shining fiercely. "Leave it to me, Violet!" she assured the newest member of their friend group. "Today my blade will taste the blood in our enemies."

Sam's lips pulled back into a wolfish grin. "Hot…" he teased, snaking his arms around her waist. Abigail wiggled free and pushed him away at arm's length, however.

"No distractions!" she commanded fervently, adjusting the belt around her hips. Abigail had ditched the long sleeveless vest for the day as well, opting instead for the black v-neck tank top she typically wore underneath. Violet figured it was because it might get in the way when fighting, but clearly Sam appreciated the absence of the vest, which usually hid the curves of his Abigail's figure. The blond's dark green eyes were practically drinking in the sight of her.

"Sam, do you want to borrow my sword so you and Abigail can be our battle couple for today?" Violet chuckled, though she was only partially ragging on her friends.

The musician gave a thumbs-up. "Hell yeah, toss it here!" he exclaimed. The farmer opted to simply hand Sam the sword. Violet did not want the first casualty of the day to be one of their own, after all. "I'll have your back, Abi," he said to his girlfriend with a wink.

Sebastian remained quiet, which while not unusual, felt prolonged. "Are you going to try out your magic today?" Violet queried the shorter of the two men.

The dark-haired male nodded. "Yeah, just… behind the physical fighters, I think," he replied, eyeing the couple beside him. "But when there aren't any creatures to fight, I can probably do other things."

Violet appreciated the offer. "I think you could probably go around foraging for loose items. Last time I was here, I found some earth crystals, quartz, and amethyst lying about."

"Amethyst?!" Abigail interrupted, tripping over Sam and practically drooling for some reason. "I call dibs!" she proclaimed adamantly. No one else objected. Violet did not really need the colored quartz, even if she also found them aesthetically pleasing. Besides, it was the least she could do to thank her friend for helping today.

The farmer could not help but laugh. "Okay, Abigail gets first dibs on any amethyst we find," Violet agreed. "Any objections?" The men declined to do so. Both Sam and Sebastian knew how Abigail was with her favorite mineral treats. When no one opposed Abigail's claim to her favorite purple mineral, it was decided.

"Do either of you want dibs on anything?" the farmer asked the two men. "Once we donate the first of anything to the museum, that is," Violet clarified, knowing fully well that it would be easier to fulfill Gunther's requests between the four of them.

Sam thought for a moment, tapping his finger on his chin. "I doubt we'll find any today," he said, "but I like tigerseye."

His best friend nodded expectantly. "Either yeti tears or obsidian, assuming we can find any." The hoodied man shrugged. "I'm not picky, but I think once I get a better hang on thing, I could make a magical weapon out of something like that."

Violet's eyes were wide with interest. "What?!" she cried in awe. "That would be sweet!" The woman forgot completely to ask about the yeti tear, since Violet's first thought was that it was a joke. There were no yeti in the Valley, right?

While the pastel-haired woman bombarded Sebastian with questions about magical items and weapons that he dreamed of creating, Abigail noticed a crumbled piece of paper on the ground next to Violet's red bag. Picking it up, the grocer's daughter realized it was a list.

 **_Junimos_ ** _\- Cute little apple dudes, Spirits of the Forest._

_Supposedly the earth goddess' messengers / my minions? Requires more testing._

**_M. Rasmodius "Wizard"_ ** _\- Real deal or drug-dealing fraud?_

_Still suspicious, but haven't seen him lately._

**_Shadow People_ ** _\- Definitely magic._

_No sign of them since that first night._

**_Sebastian_** _- ~~Spell caster?~~_ _Confirmed magic-user. Mesmerizing eyes._

 **_Slimes_ ** _\- Lesser Rimuru in every way :(_

_TOO MANY AT ONCE ARE A PROBLEM!_

**_Tiny Digletts_ ** _\- Are they magic, though? Pokémon IRL?_

_Tiny little dicks! Worse than stepping on a lego! D:_

**_Leather boots_ ** _\- Too perfect… No side effects thus far, so no fairy curse as far as I can tell._

This last one was written in different ink, so Abigail suspected it was added later than the rest of the list.

 **_Talla_ ** _– Super pretty and mysterious. Something odd about her eyes sometimes. Talks as if she's been around longer than her appearance would suggest. Magic in some way or just eccentrically religious?_

While some of these were hilarious for the commentary, Abigail nudged her boyfriend's side lightly with her elbow and pointed out the line about Sebastian. Sam's eyebrows waggled mischievously. "Mesmerizing, eh?" he cackled. "Are my eyes mesmerizing, Abi?"

"You wish," Abigail shot back playfully. She tucked the note away in her pocket to make sure Sebastian would find it later. "Are we ready to head down, then?" Abigail queried, getting the attention of the other two. Sebastian shouldered his backpack, so that the gang had two bags to fill full of loot and two unencumbered fighters, and noted his readiness to get going.

"Let's roll, Cave Exploration Squad," Sam announced with a grin, holding the rusty sword in his hand low to the side so it would not harm anyone.

Sebastian protested. "That's the dumbest name I've ever heard."

The blond's shoulder rose in a non-committal gesture. "Unless you can think of a better one, it stays, fam."

The four young people crowded into the elevator and Violet pressed the lit "15" button. "Ah! I'm so excited," she practically squealed. "I've always wanted to do a real dungeon crawl..."

Abigail rolled her eyes. "Ugh, nerds..." she complained, but only half-seriously. The grocer's daughter had always wanted a reason to use her sword, after all.

* * *

The lower level monsters of the brown earth levels stood no chance against the Abigail-Sam duo. Sebastian hardly even got a chance to try anything in term of ranged attacks before the couple cut down the slimes, duggies, bugs, and rock crabs. Perhaps it was Violet's wishful thinking, but the temperature seemed to be slowly decreasing the deeper in to the mines they descended. All the better, as far as the new farmer was concerned. Humidity did not agree with her, as proven by the frizzing and increasing volume of her wavy hair. Finally, it annoyed her enough that she decided to pull it back in her usual high ponytail.

She noticed Sebastian looking a bit pink in the face when she caught his eye from across the cavern, collecting a few quartz on the ground. The heat must have been getting to him, too.

Things ran relatively smoothly with the division of labor they all agreed upon. The only real trouble they encountered was on the strange spiraled level of the mine, which made it difficult to stay in each other's line of sight. There must have been a nest nearby that they disrupted without realizing because the cave flies swooped in from all sides to attack the human intruders.

Violet swung her pickaxe as a pair of the flies came down upon her, missing the winged bugs with her tool. Sebastian launched a rock well away from them, hoping to direct their aggression away from both himself and the farmer while they re-grouped. The plan was partially successful in that it distracted the original pair of flies, but a new swarm flew in low, heading directly for the pair. Violet dropped her pickaxe, instead pulling the scythe from her bag as her weapon of choice. Even if it did not do much damage, the farmer hoped to at least keep the obnoxious insects at bay until Sam and Abigail could reach them.

The pastel-haired woman swiped at the first wave, driving them off, but clearly the flies saw the attack as more of an annoyance than an actual deterrent. Sebastian spied Abigail and Sam sprinting around the bend from the corner of his eye. As Violet let loose a battle cry, the black-clad man blinked and the next thing he knew, Abigail was the one beside him instead. The woman jumped in surprise, but smirked as the flies came down upon an armed opponent. Their exoskeletons fell on either side, the legs twitching slightly as the meat fell from the shell.

"That disgusting..." Violet groaned as she observed the slain monsters on the floor of the mines next to Sebastian and Abigail. The farmer quickly followed up with an appreciative compliment for the rookie swordswoman. "But you were incredible, Abigail!"

"Dude, that was awesome," Sam chuckled nervously, trying to recover from the surprise when he blinked to see his girlfriend suddenly in harm's way well ahead of him.

Violet's dark blue eyes caught Sebastian's gaze. "Did you use a transposition to switch us, Sebastian?" she asked in breathless disbelief. It seemed the farmer was a little shaken from the transposition, but more intrigued by the event than anything else. The other two also wanted to know what Sebastian had done.

Sebastian frowned pensively. "I... must have," he finally answered. "I don't know how, but I just thought about it and suddenly... it happened." He glanced down at his up-turned palms with a furrowed brow.

Abigail did not appear to be bothered. "Hey, we're all fine and I got to slay more monsters," she declared dismissively with a shrug. The pale woman smirked confidently. "I had it handled."

"Just give warning next time you do that," Sam begged anxiously, holding his girlfriend in his arms as if he were making sure she would not be teleported away again. "You nearly gave me a heart attack, fam."

Violet noticed Sebastian's dark eyes had a distant look in them, as if he were gazing out at something no one else could see. "I don't think you have to worry about that today, Sam," the new sorcerer assured his best friend absently.

Abigail plunged her sword into the softer earth of the mine to clean it, then addressed the rest of the group. "Are we all okay to continue, or...?" her light blue eyes rested on her anxious boyfriend.

It took a little convincing on Sam's part, but the others all agreed it was okay to continue. The only condition being that if they ran into trouble like they just had again, the four of them would make a swift retreat.

As they made it down the next floor, they discovered a large wooden chest. Further than the eye could see, the sound of water lapping against stone could be heard. The chest looked identical, with the exception of its bigger size, to the one in which Violet found her leather boots on the tenth floor. "Loot!" the pastel-haired woman exclaimed, popping open the nearest of the four before any of her friends could stop her.

Sebastian panicked, outstretching his arm in her direction. "Wait, it could be a -"

They gathered around at a safe distance and watched as Violet held up a small sword.

"...trap," the new sorcerer exhaled with relief. Sebastian hung his head as if he were exhausted from potentially cheating death or serious injury.

Sam's moss green eyes lit up and his mouth hang open before he finally uttered his reaction. "Yooooo! That's sick, V!" The blond reached into the container and found a second small sword. "There's one for each of us."

"That's not at all suspicious," Sebastian said under his breath, shaking his head.

Violet overheard the comment. "Well, I got these super comfy boots the same way and so far no curses, stubbed toes, or blisters," she swore to the skeptical sorcerer with a teasing grin.

Abigail eyed the newer of her swords, but opted to keep using her current weapon. "Mine's got better reach," she reasoned, surrendering the new sword to Violet to carry in her pack.

The farmer did not mind having a spare sword in addition to the new one. Violet put both the rusty sword she had lent to Sam and the one Abigail rejected in her red pack. Sebastian decided to keep the sword on his person just in case, even if he hoped he did not have to use it.

Before the gang pressed on, Violet wanted to check out the underground pond. She peered over the ledge, her eyes wide with wonder. "What's the big deal?" Sebastian solicited.

The woman smiled as a pale fish breached and disappeared under the smooth surface of the dark water below. "It's always cool to find things like this. Little pockets of nature where you don't expect to find them." Violet sighed. "I didn't bring my fishing pole today," she lamented, "but I should come back here and see what I can catch next time."

"Well, try not to catch anything that can eat you," Sebastian replied sarcastically. "You never know what you'll find down here."

Her eyes darted in his direction. "I guess I'll need a buddy, then," Violet stated shyly.

Before the black-clad man could respond, Abigail and Sam called them back over toward the ladder down to the next level. With their shiny new weapons, fistfuls of field snacks, and luck on their side that day, the quartet of friend managed to get through the next ten levels without a hitch. Much to their disappointment, however, no chest of loot awaited them on the thirtieth floor. While there was still some time left in the day, it was well past dinner time and they were out of field snacks.

Considering their haul of copper ore, geodes, quartz, a few pieces of hardwood, earth crystal, slime, algae, and bug meat; the gang decided to call it a day well-spent. Abigail, of course, took possession of the amethyst she claimed prior to the start of their adventuring. The woman's bright cerulean eyes lit up as she popped on in her mouth, much to Violet's shock. The sword bearer mentioned eating the colored quartz before, but the farmer had assumed she misheard. Neither Sam nor Sebastian questioned the behavior, though, so Violet did her best to play it cool.

The moon had already risen by the time the four emerged from the mines. "I think it's time I escorted my personal bodyguard home now," Sam announced jokingly to the quartet. "Cool use of magic, fam," the blond added, slapping Sebastian's shoulder in a friendly pat and gave him a quick side hug before dismissing himself. Abigail and her boyfriend, still on a high from their physical conquest of the mines thus far, seemed to have other physical activities on their mind from the looks they exchanged. "See you Violet, Sebastian!" Abigail called with a little wave as they walked down the mountainside toward Pelican Town. Once Violet was satisfied the others were out of sight, she turned to Sebastian, who sat on a rock, cradling his head in his hands.

She crouched down to get a better look at him. "Are you okay?" the woman asked him out of concern, gently touching Sebastian's shoulder with her hand.

Sebastian jumped slightly at the contact, then relaxed when he realized it was only Violet. "Uh... yeah," the young man stumbled trying to convince his friend. "I just felt really tired there for a bit." He looked at up at her, looking a bit confused. "I actually feel much better, suddenly," he informed the farmer, rising up to his feet.

Violet pursed her lips, considering for a moment. "Maybe some magic fatigue?" she suggested as she started walking with Sebastian side-by-side toward his house. "If you were feely poorly, we could have stopped earlier," she told him in a scolding tone.

The sorcerer shoved his hands in the pocket of his hoodie. "It was... more than that," he admitted reluctantly. "I was just kinda freaking out that I transposed you and Abigail without really understanding how it worked." Sebastian's shoulders rose up toward his ears awkwardly. "You two could have been hurt..."

"True," Violet confessed. "But we weren't..." She turned her head toward him and grinned, "Besides, while it did startle me at first, it was really cool!"

Maybe Sebastian still feeling a bit ill after all, Violet thought as she noticed the color of his face. "Y-You think so?" he inquired the woman beside him. "You weren't mad about it?"

A laugh escaped her lips. "Well, maybe if you had dropped me into that underground pond or atop a sharp stalagmite, I would have had to take a swing at you with my pickaxe," she teased. "But... seeing as how your handy transposition spell worked in our favor, I guess I'll just have to settle for being impressed by our party sorcerer."

There it was again. Sebastian's face was flushed as if he were overheating from a fever. Violet reached her hand to rest on his forehead, checking his temperature. Perhaps he was a little warm. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" she demanded to know, the doubt in her voice apparent. "You don't have to put on a brave face for me when you're sick..."

"I-it just got a little... warm in the mines," Sebastian assured her, looking up at the sky. It was then the two noticed that they had already reached the front of Sebastian's house. He tilted his head toward the door. "I should probably head in for the night." The young man shrugged the bag off of his shoulders, searching for his house key. Once he felt the cool of the metal, he paused. "Unless you want me to walk you home?"

Violet shook her head, "No, it's okay." This time she removed a well-charged phone from her pocket. "I will text you when I get back if you're particularly worried," she guaranteed the tired sorcerer.

At least it wasn't dead this time, Sebastian thought with relief. "Fine..." The man watched Violet until the farmer disappeared into the distance along the trail that led her home. Sebastian unlocked the door to his house and once he was in his room, he quickly shed his layers of clothing. The mines had been too warm for a hoodie, but he was too foolishly stubborn to take it off. As the garment fell to the floor, he heard a slight crunch. Picking the ebony outerwear up, he inspected his pocket. Inside was a small piece of paper. A list. His dark eyes were immediately drawn to his own name. " ** _Sebastian_** _- ~~Spell caster?~~_ _Confirmed magic-user. Mesmerizing eyes."_

If Sebastian was correct in recognizing Violet's handwriting - though he could not be sure because he had only seen it a handful of times - he thought this note might be hers. Did she really think his eyes were spelling-binding?


	10. Tipping Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Violet and Harvey visit Talla in the Cindersap Forest. Shane sneaks away to be alone with his thoughts. Emily receives a chilling call in the middle of the night that results in a race against time to find the missing Shane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning to readers: This chapter includes an altered six-heart event for Shane, which can be triggering for those with suicidal ideation, depression, and/or alcoholism.

It was a bright, sunny Sunday morning. The sight of the healthy red hue of her radish crop gave Violet a warm, fuzzy feeling she could not quite explain. On some basic level, the young farmer simply felt a stirring in her soul. From that vague sense of belonging, Violet knew she was where she was meant to be, here in the Valley. Her grandparents' old farmhouse already felt more like home than any other place the woman had lived. It was hers now...

Ironically, the only things that particularly bothered Violet on this beautiful day were some plants in her garden. The strangeness of the mysteriously variegated blueberries and hops plants were odd from the start. Now that they were more mature, it was obvious that the rich crimson of the blueberry bushes and the lustrous bronze of the hops were not simply tricks of the light. If not for the literal comparison of the normal specimens next to them, Violet would have wondered if Pierre had accidentally sold her the wrong seeds.

No, something else must have caused the dramatic change. But what? Violet's lips twitched to one side as she considered the possibilities. Could this be another example of magic in Pelican Town? If it were the land itself, Violet suspected it would have happened to all her crops, even during Spring. Then again, it could be a person. But who would bother enchanting her crops? Was Rasmodius angry at Violet about something? Or maybe this was the Shadow creatures' way of showing their displeasure at being banned from creeping up to her window in the middle of the night. There was always Sebastian. Maybe something happened when he tried all those spells that they did not notice right away?

But what spell could have possibly turned her plants such bizarre colors? While Violet had to admit they were beautiful in their own way, the farmer was cautious not to touch them when she watered the crops each morning. Violet's nature hike with Leah was enough to open her eyes to the potential dangers - if not minor inconveniences - a plant could cause the human body.

Violet sighed. She would not get any definitive answers by guessing haphazardly. For now, the farmer decided to wait until they produced fruit - assuming they would at all. The young woman was still a bit wary of Rasmodius after their first encounter and she was not about to have Bex in a state of panic again. So, after making her rounds to check the small cave on the property, the taps on her trees, and adding water to Bruno's bowl, Violet decided to pay Talla a visit before spending the rest of the day fishing. She had enough money for now, so she decided to forego the trip to Pierre's to sell her radishes.

On her way, the pastel-haired woman found the summer forageables the Junimos had requested and tucked them away in her bag for safekeeping. Violet had grown accustomed to hearing Talla's singing before she spied the woman across the forest clearing, so it was no surprise to catch the song wafting through the shade of the trees. The farmer did not understand the words, but this tune sounded somewhat spiteful.

"Has someone upset you?" Violet asked the merchant cautiously as she approached the cart. The purple hog snorted a reply of its own before Talla could speak.

"Only a disrespectful drunkard," the woman answered coolly, lifting her eyebrows, and lowering her eyelids as if to look down at an ant. "He would not have tasted well, anyway…" Talla sniffed. She leaned against the counter to better view her customer as she handed Violet the usual catalog of goods. "Now which of my goods catches your sea-blue eyes today, little flower?"

* * *

Sundays. They were the fucking worst day of the week. All they did was drag on forever to remind Shane that he lacked friends or a social life. Even the sun was too damn bright in his eyes as he stepped outside. It was blinding, mocking him as the hot rays beamed down on him like he was an ant under a magnifying glass.

Had the weather forecast really called for it to be this humid today? Eh, fuck it. It would be cooler in the forest. Shane's dark eyes rounded the corner of the fence that marked the boundary of Marnie's ranch. Jas was already gone to play on the beach with Vincent. At least he could sneak off without her asking too many questions.

"Shane!" The man paused. It was Aunt Marnie, who took his hand in hers and placed an object into his palm. "You almost forgot your phone," the brunette told him in a playfully scolding manner. "I charged it for you."

The disheveled chicken farmer stared at the device in his hand. Shane had meant to leave it on purpose. He did not want to be bothered today, not that anyone would call him, though. He sighed heavily and pocketed the phone in his holey Jojo Mart jacket. "Thanks, aunt Marn..." he responded in a gruff voice.

"Will you be out late tonight, Shane?" the rancher asked her nephew. "Or should I expect you back at your usual time?"

The dark-haired man shrugged. "Don't wait up for me," he replied with the non-committal gesture, his black eyes avoiding his aunt's hopeful stare. Marnie thought that meant he would be out with friends. Stupid. He did not have any real friends. Emily only talked to him because he was a regular at her job. Sam was a co-worker at best and an obnoxious reminder of the past at worst. The rest of the younger adults just... pitied him. It was all a ruse when they invited him to join their pool match under the guise of needing more players. Shane did not want their sympathetic smiles or their condescendingly "understanding" about how shitty he felt about himself all the time.

No, today he needed to be alone. Morris put him on fucking "probation" for leaving early for Jas' party, even though he still worked a full shift. That bastard was just a demon in a bow tie. A power-hungry little man with nothing to do but enforce ludicrously rigid rules for pettiness' sake. Shane never hated someone as much as he did Morris. And yet there was nothing he could do about it. Except drink.

Shane glanced around, scanning the forest to make sure no one was watching him. He heard a strange voice calling to him from the trees, though. The dark-haired man felt a tug on his body to head west, but he resisted. "Leave me alone!" he shouted to the voice angrily, stomping southward toward his destination. "And keep it down, no one wants to hear your stupid singing anyway!"

* * *

Harvey stood on the dock of the small forest pond, peering over the edge to groom himself before he approached the traveling cart. Doctor Harvey had decided against his kelly green jacket today. It was far too hot in the sun for layers, but he made sure his clean white shirt was as neat as possible before he left the clinic. Too bad he was already sweating through it slightly. A stray strand of brunet hair stuck straight up and his comb could not tame it. The doctor dipped his hand in the pond and tried to dampen his hair slightly to force the uncooperative thing into submission, but all it did was make him as if a tiny rain cloud caught him off-guard. He sighed in defeat.

Still, the mustached man was not about to be deterred. Harvey intended to know what Talla meant when she said she would have to decide if he was suitable. Did she want him as a source along her mercantile route? It would be a way to make some extra money, assuming he could still get necessary items at the discount he received as a medical professional next season. If that were the case, Harvey knew he would have to be careful. If certain government officials caught on that he was selling his surplus at a profit, it could cost Pelican Town's only doctor his license.

But Harvey would not let momentary vanity keep him from chatting with the mysterious merchant today. Talla must have all sorts of interesting stories from her travels. The doctor knew already she was a talented singer and businesswoman. The man could not help but be drawn to another professional, even if they were in vastly different fields.

Of course, Harvey would be lying to himself if he did not acknowledge Talla's beauty. He could not help but be impressed by the stunning and accomplished woman. She could not be much older than him, assuming she was older. Perhaps that was silly of Harvey to automatically think any woman traveling the world on her own and running her own successful business had to be older than him.

He smiled as the sound of Talla's haunting humming reached his ears. Harvey foolishly thought for a moment that it meant she knew he was close-by. Why on earth would she do that? They had only met once after all.

The teal-haired woman flashed Harvey a charming smile as he approached the shuttered opening of the cart where she stood. "Ah, it is the Doctor," she practically purred in delight. "I was not sure you would return today…" the vendor admitted with a pleasant smirk.

"You… did say I should come see you again," Harvey replied with a nervous laugh, suddenly self-conscious by how much he was sweating through his once-crisp white shirt.

The fabric of her ocean-blue dress rustled with her movement as she propped her arms on the counter of her cart. "And you listened," she stated aloud, the curve of her lips turning upward. "It is good when a man listens to a woman's words and takes heed." Harvey could tell that Talla was in a good mood. Perhaps other men along the trader's route did not treat her as an equal because of her sex. How frustrating.

"I take it that in your experience, men do not listen all that often?"

Something flickered in the merchant's eyes and her grin widened almost a bit too much. Harvey wondered if it was because the heat and humidity combined, like a momentary mirage. "Oh, many men listen to my words," Talla replied. "But it does not always end well for them."

Suddenly, Harvey began to wonder if Talla's past were perhaps a bit more violent than he originally anticipated. Was she part of a crime ring? A drug cartel? The doctor began to wonder if he should dare to get more details. If Talla was considering doing business with him, it would be in Harvey's best interest to find out. Surely this vendor would not do anything to someone from a small town. Everyone would find out quickly that the local doctor had met his untimely demise, unlike somewhere like a big city where a murder victim might be more anonymous.

The mustached man realized that he must have reacted in a noticeable way because Talla began to laugh. "Do not worry. I do not go out of my way to punish men. I am more of an... opportunist." She straightened herself and added, "And I defend my fellow women when the need arises."

Harvey relaxed at the latter part of that statement. "Ah, yes. That's an honorable thing to do." While he had never personally been sexually harassed, he imagined women were both victims and witnesses to that kind of behavior. The doctor would never condemn someone for helping someone else in that situation.

"You must lead an interesting life as a merchant," Harvey said, trying to drum up a conversation. He wanted to hear more about Talla's experiences from other countries.

"Interesting is a word for my life, yes," Talla replied. Her deep blue eyes glanced down at him. "I take it you do not intend to buy anything from my shop today?"

The brunet tugged at the collar of his buttoned shirt, loosening the topmost fastener along with his brown tie. "I uh… Well, I suppose I could take a look at what you have to offer."

Talla offered him the list of her wares, which Harvey accepted, and the woman propped her head on her hand. "I could certainly share a few tales as you browse," she stated dismissively. "I imagine you are the only other potential customer I shall see today anyway…"

* * *

Maru sat beside a smiling Penny on the bench outside the old Community Center. The scientist was amazed at how happy her best friend had become. When Penny spoke about the editing she had done for Elliott's new book, her bright green eyes seemed more vibrant somehow, though Maru could not find a measurable difference in their hue. "I never knew I would enjoy editing so much," the teacher confessed to Maru. "It's not that I don't enjoy grading the children's assignments, but it's so… different!"

"I'll bet!" the overall-clad woman agreed with a chuckle. "Do you know when the book will be published?" Maru asked curiously. Even if she was not particularly fond of romance novels, the woman wanted to support Penny's passion projects.

Penny shook her head. "Elliott said the final draft should be ready to send to the publisher in the next week or two. From there, it could take a while before it's printed and distributed." From under her sunhat, Penny glanced at Maru. "How are things going with Alex?" she asked.

Maru pondered the question for a moment before answering. "Well, he's starting to show signs of improvement in his running endurance," the amateur trainer informed her friend. "And his musculature is changing slightly now that he's doing a more varied workout routine."

"Is that… good?" Penny wondered aloud. While she did not know a lot about sports or anatomy, she wanted to give Maru a chance to talk about her hobbies.

The bespectacled woman grinned. "Yes, actually. Alex seems to think he's losing muscle and panicked a bit, but I assured him that he's only evening things out throughout his whole body rather than concentrating on just his upper body."

Penny blushed at the thought. "Oh, so you… see his muscles often?"

Maru shrugged, "We do measurements every other week and he tends to remove his shirt when he gets sweaty." The scientist paused when she noticed Penny's face go as red as her formally dyed hair. "Is… everything okay?" she inquired.

"It all just seems so… intimate," Penny squeaked, hiding her blushing face behind her hands. "I can't imagine being in that situation."

This was one of those areas that Maru and Penny were vastly different in their ways of thinking. Maru saw clothing as something useful: protective from the elements, chemicals, etc. and therefore necessary for safety purposes. From when Maru understood, Penny viewed clothing as something to cover something inherently… sacred, perhaps. The nurse acknowledged that she had seen many bodies in her practice and not thought much of it. Physical forms were necessary for acting upon the world around us and for taking in stimuli, but Maru did not see the point of Penny's concept of "modesty." Though, thinking upon it now, the scientist realized that her overalls might give off the wrong impression to her best friend in terms of supposed agreement with the idea. Maru only really wore them because they had so many useful pockets!

Maru shrugged nonchalantly, "It's just part of the recording progress, nothing more. Neither of us seem to mind." She leaned back on the bench and inhaled deeply as the warmth of the late afternoon sun hit her face, warming her. "Smell that rain!" she declared excitedly as she pointed out the clouds on the horizon.

Penny looked puzzled. "It's not supposed to rain until tomorrow…" she said.

"From the smell in the air, it'll probably start raining sometime late tonight," Maru assured Penny. "We're in no danger of getting wet just sitting here for a while."

The teacher relaxed, settling back into her seat on the bench. Her face lit up as she recalled something of interest. "Oh, it's been a while, but how is that flying camera coming?" Penny questioned Maru.

"The drone is coming along nicely!" Maru replied enthusiastically. "I added a few new views to the camera, like black and white, night vision, and heat signatures rather than the regular picture." She pulled out a few photos from her overall pockets as examples. While Penny marveled over how different they looked, despite being an image of the same specimen. Maru said, "The last one I'm working on is for radiation, but that's going to take some time to develop properly because it's much more complicated..."

* * *

Emily had lain awake in her bed for hours, listening to the sounds of the storm outside. Normally, the rain put her to sleep right away, but the woman could not help but shake the foreboding seeping into her bones.

Her chestnut eyes gazed up at the moonless night, the thick clouds curtaining the moon and stars from those below. Shane had not come to The Stardrop Saloon tonight. He always came in after work. While it might be a good thing that the late-night regular did not show up, Emily felt uneasy. It was almost better for Shane to show up so she could keep tabs on him rather than wonder where he was at any given moment - physically and mentally.

The sapphire-haired woman sat up in her bed and snatched her phone from her nightstand. Emily hesitated. It was well past two in the morning. Even Shane should be asleep by now. The young woman frowned, running her hands through her soft, short hair. The barkeep did not want to wake the rest of the household needlessly, but still. Something was wrong.

Finally, after a few minutes sitting in the dark, debating the pros and cons of simply walking over to the ranch in the rain, her phone lit up in her hand. Emily nearly dropped the phone in her rush to answer. "Shane!" Emily answered anxiously. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

The voice on the other end sounded weak against the thud of the raindrops. "Emily… I… I'm sorry..." A drunken hiccup escaped his lips.

Emily threw the blanket off her bed as she rose to dress herself. "Don't apologize, Shane. I told you that you can call me whenever," she assured her friend. This was one of the times when Emily appreciated her ability to multitask as she pulled on her rain gear and headed out the door.

There was an eerie silence on the phone. "Shane! Can you hear me?" Emily shouted in a panic.

A chill ran down Emily's spine when he finally spoke up. "Emily… What's to stop me from jumping?"

Her boot stomped the ground, splashing water up onto her legs, but she did not care. "Don't you dare, Shane!" Emily's eyes welled up with tears. "J-just tell me where you are, please."

"I'm with the rest of the garbage…" he muttered miserably.

"Emily, what are you doing?" Haley's voice came from the doorway of the house behind her. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and closed her pink robe tightly around her body. "It's the middle of the night…"

The eldest sister bit her lip, "Don't you hang up, Shane. I'm coming to find you." Emily glanced at her sister, whose eyes widened as she nodded in understanding after seeing the desperation on Emily's face.

Emily covered her phone to speak to Haley briefly. "I'm going to look in the Cindersap Forest near the pond," she informed the blonde. "See if you can find out if anyone has seen him today. Text me if you do, I'll be busy talking him out of…" Her voice trailed off. Haley had never seen her sister look so grim. It frightened her.

Without another word to her sister, Emily flipped the hood of her raincoat up over her head and began running westward. "Shane, stay with me. Okay?"

* * *

Leah had been dead to the world when a pounding came at her front door. The sound startled her, nearly causing her to fall out of bed. The red-head's first reaction was to grab her chisel as a weapon of self-defense in case the intruder tried to break in.

"Leah, it's Haley!" a voice came from the door. "Please open up!" The woman outside smacked the door again, not realizing that the house's inhabitant was already awake.

While the artist could not understand what was so urgent, she lowered her instrument and opened the door. The blonde was soaked to the bone as she stepped inside. Haley had not prepared proper attire for the weather raging outside. Something must really be wrong.

"Emily… went looking for Shane," Haley said breathlessly. "I think... he's in trouble!" Leah knew that Haley did not particularly care for Shane, but if her sister was involved, that probably made it her business. "Have you seen him at all today?" the blonde asked, her damp hair stuck to the side of her face.

Leah shook her head gravely. "No, I haven't…" she confessed guiltily. Without a second though, the red-head pulled on a raincoat and her boots quickly. She tossed an extra poncho to Haley. "Here, put this on. I'll come with you," she said, grabbing her emergency flashlights and a lantern.

Haley did not question the choice in wardrobe and donned the polyester rain gear. "Thanks…" she said appreciatively, realizing she must have looked like a drowned rat.

"I think we should get Violet, too," Leah informed her search party partner. "If nothing else, maybe Bruno can help find a missing person."

"You think her dog is trained to sniff someone out?" Haley questioned doubtfully, closing the door behind her as they stepped out into the rain.

Leah shrugged, "Maybe he doesn't have to find Shane," she reasoned. "Bruno can probably reach places we can't to search, or maybe Shane will hear the barking and come to us. Either way, I think it's a good idea. And a third set of eyes will be helpful with the weather. If something goes wrong, one person can stay with an injured party and the other person can go for help."

Haley had not thought of that. It was probably a good idea, given the likelihood that someone could get lost or hurt with this much rain there was relatively low visibility. "Okay," the blonde agreed. "But let's hurry. I don't want Emily out here by herself too long."

* * *

Maru doubted her alarm when it began to chime. There was no way it was already time to get up. After a moment, however, she realized the sound was not her alarm, but a phone call. Who in the world would call her so late? Picking up the device, she tapped the answer button and the speaker, so she could lie in bed while talking.

"Hello?" Maru answered groggily.

"Maru!" It was Violet. "It's an emergency. Shane is missing and we think he's in danger!"

The scientist shot up from her bed, adrenaline already reaching her system. "What can I do?"

"We tried getting Bruno to sniff for Shane, but he led us to the Mayor's house!" Violet sighed in exasperation. "Can your drone be safely used in this storm? It's the only thing I can think of that might give us a better chance of finding Shane quickly."

Maru doubted the drone would survive long in this storm, but she had no doubts it would be helpful if they were lucky for long enough. If they could save Shane, it would be worth a busted drone. "I'll see what I can do," Maru stated. "Do you have any suspicions for where he might have gone?"

"Haley texted Emily for any hints. She's been looking in the Cindersap Forest, but no luck so far. Apparently, he told Emily he was 'with the rest of the garbage,' if that means anything to you."

The drone hummed to life as Maru prepared it as best she could for the elements outdoors. "I have two guesses, though one is out of the town boundaries. I'm going to take an educated guess to go with my gut here," the tinkerer told the farmer. "Meanwhile, head to the Cindersap Forest and try to connect with Emily. I'll call you again once I have any updates."

* * *

Emily emerged from the tree line crying, though if it were not from the sounds of her sobs, the others would have never been able to tell from how soaked from the rain she had become. "I can't find him!" she wailed. "The lake is flooding, so if he's on one of the little islands, there's no way to get to him without swimming. The bridges are completely covered."

Haley pulled her sister into a hug. "We're going to find him, Emily," she promised, though in her heart she knew they may not like what they found. "What happened to your phone? I thought you were still talking to Shane."

The sapphire-haired woman shuddered. "I slipped in the mud and dropped it. I can't get it to turn on anymore," she cried pitifully.

Violet and Leah stood quietly for a moment before the farmer spoke up. "Emily, if you want to take a break, we can keep looking. You must be exhausted…"

Emily shook her head furiously. "No, I can't rest until Shane is safe!" she replied adamantly, clutching Haley tightly.

Violet's phone rang and she immediately answered. "Maru? What's the word?" The pastel-haired woman nodded in understanding and she held the phone away from her face for a moment to speak to the other participants in their manhunt. "She said she found something on the cliffs by the sewers, but… if that's him his body temperature is getting too low. We need to head that way now!"

Emily's warm brown eyes widened, and she dashed off, not waiting for the trio of women behind her. She did not even hear the others calling her name, all Emily could hear was the beating of the heart in her chest and the sound of her ragged breathing. "Please be okay, Shane…"

When she finally found him on the ridge above the sea, Emily's heart leapt when she noticed Shane breathing. "Shane! Thank Yoba!"

The man lie face down on the wet ground as he coughed a greeting to Emily. "M… My life… It's a pathetic joke… Look at me…"

"You're having a bad brain day, Shane," Emily wept, holding his head in her lap. "It's going to be okay now. Help is on its way…"

Shane did not seem to hear her. "Why do I even try?" He sobbed, "I'm too small and stupid to… to take control of my life…"

Emily stroked his head gently, "Shhh… You're not stupid, Shane. Don't talk like that."

"I'm just a p… piece of soiled garbage flittering in the wind…" he protested, rolling off her lap to vomit over the edge of the cliff.

"I've been coming here often lately…" the man told his friend. "Looking down…" He chuckled, but it was a laugh of pain, Emily realized as she could feel her heart breaking at the sound of his voice. "Here's a chance to finally take control of my life... These cliffs…"

Emily grasped at his jacket to keep him from falling over the side of the drop-off, but Shane swatted her hand away. "B… bu…" he retched again. "But I'm too scared, too anxious. Just like always…"

"It's a sign of real strength, Shane," Emily insisted. "You've been so strong trying to bear all this on your own, but you need to let others help you…"

Shane collapsed, his face protruding over the cliff slightly as he stared down at the white-capped waves below. "Emily… All I do is work, sleep, and drink… t… to dull the feelings of self-hatred." He posed a question as he balled his fists around the grass beneath him. "Why should I even go on?" The tears that ran down his cheeks mingled with the rain drops on his face. "Tell me… T… Tell me why I shouldn't roll off this cliff right now…"

Emily draped herself across his body, shielding him from the storm. "Jas needs you. You're like a father to her." And after a moment of silence, she added, "And I…"

Shane must not have heard and interrupted "You're right. Jas…" he groaned miserably, trying to rise to his feet. Emily sat back on her heels to allow him up. "Ugh, God… I'm a horrible..." He hiccupped, "... selfish person. Now I feel even worse."

"Please stop…" Emily begged Shane, quietly, touching his shoulder lightly. "Stop talking about yourself like that."

Shane sat down, realizing he could not reasonably expect to stand in his condition. His dark eyes glanced at his friend. "Emily… I think you should take me to the hospital now."

Emily bobbed her head and rose to her feet, offering a hand to help him up. She was alarmed at how cold his hands were, but she was relieved as soon as she heard the squelching steps of other three women close-by. "Let's get you out of the rain, okay?"

Shane nodded, accepted her hand, but a look of panic took over his pale face as he felt the ground beneath him shift. The sapphire-haired woman realized that part of the cliff face was separating from the ground and tried her best to fight gravity, pulling Shane toward her. It was no use; they were both going to fall. Then, Shane made eye contact with her, let go of her hand, and pushed Emily back toward firmer ground. "Sorry…" he whispered. "I didn't mean to make you cry…" Suddenly, both Shane and the earth beneath him disappeared into the ocean below leaving only frothing bubbles where they made contact with the surface that swallowed them whole.


	11. Time and Tide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several people rush to the beach to assist with the rescue. Shane's life hangs in the balance. Sebastian gets a visit from Krobus.

The waves surged onto the tiny beach of the cove, clawing bits of driftwood and other debris back toward the sea. Eshra stood among the shallows, reveling in the power of the storm as it pounded against the shore. "You outdid yourself this time, Mother," she chuckled to herself as the salty spray of an oncoming wave rushed up to her waist. The sea was too rough for her uncle to take her cart to the next leg of the traders' route, but the woman doubted they would be able to receive her anyway with turbulent weather anyway.

Her purple hog lay nestled in the warm, dry confines of the brightly colored cart well away from the beach. "I am off to answer a prayer," she called to him, though Eshra was never sure whether the fez-wearing creature heard over the roar of the tide. Stripping down from her clothing, the woman tossed her dress over the low hanging branch of a tree and tied it there using the sleeves.

Then, upon the next great wave, Eshra dove into the open waters of the sea. As she swam deeper into the depth, the shell dangling from her neck shone brightly despite the dark waters surrounding her. The merchant felt lighter as her legs slowly melded back together as one. She felt the strength return to her as her feet melted away to form her golden caudal fin and her steering became more accurate as a matching dorsal fin sprouted from her lower back and along toward the tip of her tail. Eshra felt the warm summer water glide along her teal scales and she laughed as the storm's current pulled her out toward the depths.

"Not now," she scolded the undertow as if it were a mischievous child. Eshra's powerful tail propelled her along the base of the cliffs high above sea level as part of the earth came crashing down into the sea. The syren circled the debris, careful to make sure the soil did not enter the gills on the side of her face, as her dark eyes searched for the object of the devotee's wish. Blinking, Eshra noticed the shape of a man in the water and swam to him, gripping the unconscious human tightly. Despite the thundering of the waves against the earthen wall, the demigoddess heard the cries of the woman whose prayer her Mother obliged her to answer.

Keeping the man's body above her so she would not be seen, Eshra pushed him toward the surface for air. The syren knew she had to get the man to shore where he could be collected, but there was no good location along this stretch of land. She would have to bring him east to the beach the humans frequented. Eshra hoped her song would be enough of a hint for the humans above on the cliff to follow her to the meeting point.

_Cleansed by storm and sea_

_A man has been set free_

_Follow, faithful heart_

_You two shall never part_

The man stirred at the sound of her voice and coughed up some sea water but did not entirely retain consciousness. It was for the best, really. Eshra did not want to have to deal with a flailing human male or answer unnecessary questions from a drunk, even if the shock from the fall may have sobered him. At least she could confirm he was breathing for now. Now all the syren had to do was make sure to keep him above the surf so he would not be submerged again.

* * *

"Shane!" Emily cried out, nearly leaping into the sea after him before Haley grabbed her and yanked her back into the mud toward safety.

"Emily!" the blonde roared at her older sister, shaking the hysterical woman. "Falling down there with him isn't going to help anyone, especially Shane." she pointed toward the drop-off that the drunken man experienced first-hand in emphasis. "We're lucky if he's alive after a fall like that! Don't be stupid!"

The barkeep's chest heaved as her sobs intensified. "Let me go, Haley!" she begged, feebly trying to pry her younger sister's fingers from her raincoat. "He asked for my help, I can't abandon him."

Meanwhile, Violet cautiously approached the edge of the cliff, well away from the piece that had fallen from under Shane. The farmer shook from terror as what she just witnessed and the sensible part of her clawed at the back of her mind to cut her losses and return home and tend to Emily. Of course, she would never allow herself to do that, however. If there was any chance of saving Shane, Violet was going to take it.

Her hand held fast to a solid tree branch to steady herself as she leaned over the edge to view the violent waves below. Violet's ocean blue eyes widened in shock as she saw Shane bubble to the surface. _Surely he would still be sinking to the bottom if he were dead,_ she thought morbidly. "I see Shane!" she gasped with relief.

Leah joined standing beside her and watched in awe as Shane was swept eastward toward the public beach. It was almost as if something were pulling him along. Violet's suspicions were confirmed when an eerily beautiful voice rang out over the deafening surf. Judging by the reaction of the other three, they all heard it, too.

It had to be Talla. But how? Now's not the time to be questioning miracles, Violet berated herself. "We need to head for the beach!" she urged her fellow searching party members. "I think we can get him ashore from there. Hurry!"

Violet's phone rang as she and Leah headed north back toward the Cindersap Forest. It was Maru. "We're heading toward the beach to get Shane," the farmer informed the scientist instead of a greeting. "Do you still have him in sight?"

"I saw the whole thing." Maru sounded despondent. "I tried to get closer with my drone to make sure he was okay when I picked up another heat signature. I was worried it was a predator, so I flew in low to get a better look, but WICCa drowned when a big wave slapped her into the ocean."

While Violet felt badly for Maru's loss. Clearly the robotics expert put a lot of love into making that drone since she had named it. But Violet felt better knowing that the suspicious heat signature was most likely Talla. "I really appreciate you helping us, Maru," she told the part-time nurse. "Could you please contact Doctor Harvey, so he knows we're coming?"

"Of course!" Maru replied instantly with a bit of a grunt. "Since WICCa is gone now, I may as well come to the clinic to help with Shane when he arrives." Violet figured she must be grabbing her things to come into town.

As Leah and Violet circled the flooded forest lake, the farmer noticed that Haley and Emily were lagging significantly. "Emily might need some help, too," she revealed to Maru. "She's been out here longer than all of us and she's not looking well."

"All the more reason I should come," Maru responded solemnly, pulling on her rain gear. "I'll see you all at the clinic."

* * *

Sebastian scratched the back of his head, mulling over the code in front of him on the screen. Clearly something was wrong, but he could not spot the problem that was making everything so buggy. He groaned in annoyance and pushed his legs off the support bar on his desk, balancing his stool on the back two legs. Sebastian's dark eyes glanced at the bottom corner of the computer to check the time. "Shit, I lost track of time," he cursed to himself. No wonder he was not getting anywhere. He should have gone to bed hours ago.

The programmer made sure to save his work thus far and turned the computer off. Sebastian rose to his feet, stretching the muscles he had abused by slouching for so long. The room was pitch black now with the storm outside blocking out the light of the moon. But why were there two glowing… "Krobus?" Sebastian called out in a hushed tone.

"Yes, Nelir?" the shadow's voice answered sweetly.

Sebastian balked for a moment as his eyes adjusted. "How long have you been standing over there?" the young man asked.

"For a while now," Krobus confessed. "But I came at an unexpected time, so I did not want to interrupt your work."

The hoodie-clad man sighed, sinking onto his bed as he shook his head. "If you come by, say something! You're always welcome here."

The small orbs of light bobbed in response and as they settled into a slightly higher position than before, Sebastian figured that Krobus had taken a seat at the table across the room. "So, what is it you wished to see me about, Nelir?"

Sebastian was unsure of where to start. "I - ugh… I've been able to cast some spells lately," he informed his old friend. "I don't know why it's just me, but… I wondered if you knew where my abilities might have come from."

"I wondered when you might dabble again after that first spell!" The shadow creature squealed with delight. "What else can you do now?"

The newbie sorcerer thought for a moment. "Well, I can copy written things really fast, throw small objects pretty far, make things cold when I touch them…" Sebastian's eyes had adjusted enough now that he could see Krobus nod enthusiastically with each ability. "Oh, and I can swap two people's locations, but I think it has to be pretty close-range."

"That is a tricky one, Nelir," the shadow cooed with excitement, tapping his hands together. "I am impressed. Well done!"

Sebastian tilted his head to the side curiously. "You once mentioned that the other magical being around here called me 'Command of the Dead.' Why is that? Do you know of others who can do these kinds of spells?"

"Once, a long time ago." A quiet hung in the air between them, emphasizing the clatter of the storm outside. "Only very few of my people possess magic now," he replied somberly. "And even then, it is not what it once was…"

"Do you know where the magic came from?" Sebastian clarified. "Or where my abilities came from?"

Krobus frowned. "I am sorry, Nelir," he exhaled in resignation. "For us, it was passed down through the generations from parent to offspring. My family was not nearly as gifted as others." The shadow gestured to Sebastian. "But we can sense the power in you. You order the dead, like you did last season, and they are compelled to obey."

This puzzled Sebastian. "So, you're saying you're… dead?" He had not categorized the shadows like he would monsters like zombies.

"In a sense," Krobus answered vaguely. "The more powerful individuals would likely be able to resist. But my weak, stupid cousins…" he chuckled, "would be less likely to do so."

Sebastian considered this information. "And as for where I go these abilities… You're saying it's passed down through bloodlines." The man sighed heavily as he felt the lump in the pit of his stomach forming. "Since Maru doesn't have them, it must be my dad."

Krobus' glowing eyes lowered as he hopped off the stool to inspect items that caught his attention. "Perhaps," he concluded. "I am not sure how it works for humans."

The young man sat on his bed, displeased with the possibility that he may never know any more about his origins than what he knew now. He glanced up at the monster in his room. "Oh, sorry. I forgot to offer you anything," Sebastian said apologetically. "Can I get you some coffee or water?" He chuckled, "I can just make that now, I don't even have to go upstairs!"

The shadow perked up at this. "You can conjure coffee?"

"Oh, sorry." Sebastian laughed. "No, just water. That's something else I can do that I forgot to mention."

Krobus nodded, though Sebastian could tell he was a bit disappointed. "I will try some of this magic water you create!" the shadow stated like a proud parent.

The programmer grabbed an empty mug from his desk and quickly ran to the bathroom to wash it for his guest. "Do you mind if I turn on a light?"

"I don't mind," Krobus answered. Sebastian flipped the light switch to illuminate the room and sat down at the RPG table, closing his eyes, and imagining the mug full of water. The stout creature smiled, taking a seat opposite his old friend and accepted the mug that was offered to him.

Krobus' bright orbital holes practically sparkled. "This is the best drink I have ever had!" he declared with audible delight. He downed the contents of the mug and requested more. Sebastian chuckled at what appeared to be a sincere reaction from his old friend but obliged even if he did not quite understand the shadow's tastes.

"You like water that much, huh?" Sebastian teased.

"This is not just any water!" The little monster declared, but he froze when the sound of footsteps came from above.

"Sebastian is that you?" Maru shouted in a hushed tone. Sebastian panicked as he heard the door from the upstairs hall to his room open. "Are you awake?"

The programmer rushed to his bedroom door to make sure Maru did not come down and enter his room. "Yeah, what does it matter?" he countered defensively, keeping the door only open enough to show his face.

"There's an emergency at the beach!" his sister informed him. "If you're available to help carry Shane to the clinic, I'm sure Violet and the others could use the help. I have to head to the clinic to get things ready."

"Shane…?" Sebastian repeated quizzically.

Maru lost her patience. "I don't have time to explain everything, but he almost drowned. Either head to the beach or not but decide now!" With that she closed the door at the top of the stairs. Sebastian heard her footsteps cross the carpenter's shop and the twinkling sound of the bell on the door as she left.

Sebastian turned around to talk to Krobus about the situation but found that the shadow was no longer in his room. "Where did he…?" The latch to one of his windows was unlocked, the man realized. Krobus must have slipped out while he and Maru were talking. _Dammit. I really wanted some answers tonight, too._ Sebastian realized that in essence, he and Krobus had discussed the core of the problem, though. The monster had no idea how Sebastian obtained his powers.

Either way, despite how tired he was, he supposed he ought to help since he was still awake anyway. He could just sleep in, after all. The work project was not due for another week, Sebastian had just wanted to get it done. Donning his rain gear, Sebastian grabbed a quick travel-mug of cold coffee and braved the storm toward the beach.

* * *

With Emily so weak and Haley helping her sister along the way, Violet and Leah were the first ones to reach the beach and surprisingly, they found Willy on the docks, staring out onto the horizon. "They should be close…" he told the women.

"How did you know?" Violet wondered aloud.

The seaman chuckled, pulling the hood of his poncho forward to better shield his face from the rain. "A little fish told me to be prepared for a big haul this evening." His bearded chin jutted out toward the west. "Here they come."

"I see him!" Leah shouted in relief, pointing to a bobbing figure in the water.

While Violet did not see Talla, Shane's unconscious body remained afloat on the rough sea, making its own small wake that was quickly overtaken by the waves around him. Willy gestured for the women to follow him back toward the beach. He rounded the corner of the docks and began to wade into the water.

Leah quickly followed suit, but Violet hesitated, knowing her phone would be destroyed by the salt water. The farmer removed her rain gear, wrapped the device inside it, and fastened the bundle to the dock with a tie already attached to the old wooden structure.

Shane was swept by the current toward the shore much faster once he reached the shallows. Willy grabbed the unconscious man with deft fingers, as if he had experience pulling people from the sea. Leah grabbed hold of Shane's other arm and Violet gripped firmly around his ankles. Between the three of them, they were able to get him out of the water and lie him on the sand. "I'll be right back," Violet informed the others and she waded back into the water.

"Talla!" the pastel-haired woman called, once she was sure she was out of range of those on the beach. "Talla, where are you?"

Violet nearly lost her footing in the sand when a head breached the surface beside her. "I am here, little flower. What is it?" The farmer was shocked to find that Talla no longer looked human. Her golden, iridescent skin seemed shiny and slick like a dolphin and her pupils were slitted like a shark. Her nose was far less pronounced and spiny fins now rested where her ears should have been.

The human stuttered a response. "T-Talla, you're -"

"Not human, yes," the merchant interrupted, displaying a mouth full of jagged teeth. "I thought you knew already, little flower. We discussed being descendants of the goddesses..."

Violet blinked, at a loss for words briefly. "You weren't kidding, huh?" she finally said as a wave lapped up a bit higher on her body than the rest.

The teal scales above her eyes rose, "Why would I make such a blasphemous joke?" Talla retorted coolly, the gills along her neck flaring and relaxing in rhythm. "Now, if you will excuse me, I cannot be seen by the humans." She glanced toward the shore and Violet's eyes followed to see that Emily, Haley, and Doctor Harvey were all huddled around Shane. "I have answered the young woman's prayer, so now I must return to my cart."

"Wait!" Violet ordered, outstretching her hand toward the merchant. "Why don't you come by the clinic so we can all properly thank you for saving Shane?" Violet urged the syren.

Talla laughed in her singsong manner. "I should not be thanked for this. It would result in too many questions." She sighed, "Besides, I am partially responsible, I suppose…"

Violet's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean, Talla?" the human asked doubtfully. "You can't possibly make a piece of cliff-face fall, can you?"

"Perhaps not," the demigoddess smirked coyly. "But I can curse a man and he was rude to me earlier today." Talla exhaled sharply to emphasize her displeasure. "Besides, the woman has been praying to Yoba for this man to find the strength to cease his alcohol consumption for some time now. My Mother felt it necessary for me to clean up my own mess and grant the woman's desire all at once by saving his life tonight." She shrugged, the sparkles in her skin catching what little light the moon cast below. "Perhaps that ungrateful cousin of mine will receive the credit, but I suspect this little dunk in the sea will help sober up the human male."

Violet could not find the words to form a response. Talla seemed to take her silence as complacency. "See? Everything is as it should be." The farmer's jaw dropped as Talla flashed her one last toothy grin. "I will see you again soon, little flower," the sea creature hummed with a little wave of her webbed hand before disappearing into the sea below.

The farmer was not sure how long she stood there, watching the turbulence of the sea and listening to the sounds of the waves and the rain when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Violet, we've been calling you from the shore. What the hell are you doing standing out here?" Violet turned and found Sebastian looking down at her with concern.

"I… thought I saw something…" she replied with a half-truth. Violet tilted her head slightly to look up at him. "What are you… doing here, Sebastian?" she asked, her mind still in a bit of a haze.

"Getting you out of the water before you get swept out to sea and need rescuing yourself, dummy," he growled, taking her hand in his and leading her to shore. "C'mon. We need to help with the stretcher to get Shane to the clinic."

Violet realized she had forgotten about Shane for a moment and fell into step, sloshing toward the shore as she trudged alongside Sebastian. "Sorry, it's been a long night…" she apologized. She felt guilty that Sebastian had to wade into the sea to retrieve her. The young woman was not even the one in danger.

"I can believe that from what I've heard so far," Sebastian responded gravely. "Let's hope the doc can save him…"

Both of them picked up the pace to get to the beach and joined Leah and Willy in assisting with the stretcher as Doctor Harvey gave careful instructions. "Gently now…" he breathed as they eased Shane onto the canvas.

It was a difficult time getting Shane off the sandy beach, but once the volunteers got the stone bridge where their feet could get better purchase, things became much easier. They were all soaked and tired, but they managed to get Shane into the clinic where Maru awaited their arrival. Once the unconscious resident of Pelican Town was safely on an exam table, Willy dismissed himself, and the young people were all shooed into the recovery unit to rest themselves.

Maru appeared briefly and handed out dry hospital gowns. "It's not much, but wearing wet clothes isn't going to help everyone get warm again. You all were out in the rain too much." She pointed to a laundry bin in the corner. "Everyone can put their wet clothes in there and I'll take care of them upstairs once we have Shane stabilized," Maru instructed as she pointed out the two beds that would be available for those who needed to rest immediately. "I can bring more cots out later, if needed." The nurse then disappeared into the exam room.

Haley brought Emily to the nearest bed because although it was least private of the three, Emily's strength was flagging. Sebastian ducked into the sequestered area around the corner so he could change in privacy while the woman quickly did the same. Thankfully, Maru had provided gowns that closed all the way once properly tied, so there was no embarrassing exposure on the backside.

Once Emily was settled into bed, Haley took her place on the stool beside her. The blonde held her sister's hand delicately. "Everything's going to be okay now, Emily," she assured her sibling. "Just rest until they bring Shane out, okay? He's in good hands."

"You're a really good sister, Haley," Emily breathed sleepily, giving the blonde's hand a tight squeeze. The sapphire-haired woman closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep quickly.

Leah stood beside Haley, touching her shoulder lightly. "She'll be okay, Haley," the artist assured the worried woman. "I'll sit with her if you want to head home for now and get some sleep."

Haley shook her head. "I can't leave Emily like this," she replied adamantly. "Besides, she's always been looking out for me as my big sister. Now it's my turn to take care of her a bit."

Leah nodded understandingly. She did not have any siblings, but she knew that there was a special kind of bond between sisters. "I'm going to go find you a cot so you can still be next to Emily and rest. Then I'm going to head out of here so I can walk home without anyone else seeing this ridiculous hospital gown," the red head laughed, trying to ease the tension in the room. "Unless you want me to stay?"

The blue-eyed photographer smiled. "I appreciate the offer, Leah," she reacted earnestly. "But you've done enough tonight. Thank you so much for your help."

Leah beamed. "I would say 'anytime,' but I would rather not have to have a manhunt all the time. So, let's just leave it at that, eh?" She wandered into the hallway to try and find a storage closet.

Haley turned her head to thank Violet for all her help but did not see her anywhere. Had she and Sebastian snuck out? The blonde was a bit too tired to care now.

* * *

Sebastian shed his sopping wet clothing and tossed them to one side, putting on the baby blue hospital gown his sister had given him. "Dammit, Maru…" he cursed quietly. It was one of those stupid ones with a gap in the back. She did this on purpose! the man thought to himself. The last thing Sebastian wanted was to go back out to the rest of the group with his ass hanging out. He turned to retrieve his boxers when he heard a tap on the privacy screen.

"Sebastian? Are you done in there?" In a panic, he leapt into the bed, making sure to lie on his back so the lack of fabric would not be noticed and covered himself with the blanket. _If I pretend I'm asleep, she'll probably leave me alone…_ he thought to himself. _Then when Violet leaves, I can grab my clothes and sneak out of here._

Violet rolled the privacy screen to the side to enter the section of the room. Sebastian heard a quiet "oh," escape her lips and after a moment of rustling, the screen closed once again. When he was certain the farmer was gone, Sebastian sat up and threw the blankets back to get out of the bed. When he went to get his clothes, however, they were missing. "Fuck, she must have grabbed them to put with everyone else's…" he cursed quietly.

The black-haired man was now faced with a dilemma. Did he dare try to sneak past the rest of the rescue party to head home in a hospital gown, or did he stay put? His dark eyes glanced back at the bed. It _was_ comfortable… he reasoned, and his bed was so far away.

He settled back into the bed and pulled the covers over his face. Yeah, this would work out just fine.

* * *

Violet, having collected all the clothes in the bin, placed it out into the hallway for Maru to get later. There, she found Leah, searching the hall closet for the cots that had been offered previously. "I've only found one that looks like it will still reliably hold a person," the artist informed Violet in annoyance. "The rest are pieces of junk that clearly haven't been touched in decades."

"It is a small town," the farmer stated forlornly. "I doubt the clinic has ever been this full…" She had so wanted somewhere to go back to sleep, but part of her also wanted to wait until Shane's condition was stable before resting.

So, Violet helped Leah get the cot set up next to Emily for Haley, who graciously accepted the place to lie her head. The blonde dozed off quickly while Violet and Leah sat on the stools they found and brought them over to the wall between the two sequestered "rooms" in the recovery room. Leaning back against the wall, the two chatted for a while. Violet could not quite recall what it was they spoke about, but she had a feeling Leah would not remember, either. The rescue and the rain took so much out of them, it was all they could do to stay awake.

It was another hour or so before Doctor Harvey and Maru finished with Shane. Violet and Leah sat up straight when the two medical professionals rolled Shane out of the exam room and into recovery. Maru worked on getting Shane into bed while Harvey came to talk to those who were still conscious to hear the news. "... I've pumped his stomach, re-hydrated his body, and checked for water in his lungs," the doctor said, his mustache twitching as he spoke. "He's going to be okay."

The members of the rescue party felt the tension in their bodies release with relief from the diagnosis. "That's good to hear…" Leah uttered gratefully.

"It's good that you brought him in though," the doctor admitted. He heaved a sigh. "Too much alcohol is terrible for the body… but right now I'm most worried about his mental health."

Leah and Violet both bobbed their heads in accord. While they were not first to arrive to Shane's rescue, he looked like a man on the edge.

"When he comes to," Doctor Harvey continued, tugging his lab coat to find his pen, "I'll have a chat with him about his treatment options. I know an excellent counselor in ZuZu City…" He jotted down a few notes on a clipboard before he forgot the details and then held the records at his side.

The bespectacled man glanced into Shane's room. "Life can be painful sometimes…" he supposed sadly. "But there's always hope for a better future. You've got to believe in that."

"Or else you might end up hurting yourself and others," Leah added with a frown. Neither Doctor Harvey nor Violet could really argue the point. Slapping her knees, the ginger stood up from her stool, stretched, and announced that she would be back later to pick up her clothes. "Since the sun still isn't up, I'm just going to risk looking silly heading home," she laughed. "Are you coming Violet?" the artist asked the farmer, who was already nodding off in her seat.

Doctor Harvey intervened. "Violet, I don't think you'll make it home like that," he warned. "You're exhausted."

"But there are no more places to sleep!" he groaned grumpily as she started to precariously position herself across both stools.

Harvey's right eyebrow rose in confusion. "What about here?" he thought aloud, as he opened the privacy screen to the south-most section of the recovery room and poked his head inside. "It looks like someone sat on the bed, but I don't see anyone in it," he told the young woman. He gestured for Violet to enter. "Go on in, I'll turn down the lights so you all can sleep. I'll be back to check on Shane frequently. Get some rest."

Leah nodded, satisfied that her neighbor would be better off remaining at the clinic and headed out toward the waiting room to leave. "Thanks, Doctor Harvey," the red head said appreciatively. "See you later."

Violet was not sure when Sebastian left the room, but she was not about to turn down the offer of a soft, warm bed. The farmer had not slept much before Leah and Haley had come to get her. Doctor Harvey dimmed the lights before Violet managed to reach the bed, but she found it just fine and nestled herself into the covers. The pastel-haired woman was out before her head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes:  
> I am aware of the accepted spelling of "siren," but seeing as how I'm creating my own version of them in this fic, I decided to alter the spelling. Besides, "y" is a dope letter.
> 
> Did I switch the archive warning from "no archive warnings apply" to "major character death" just to mess with you all? You bet'cha did. :3
> 
> Am I keeping it because I'm still debating some events for future chapters? Also, yes. ^^()
> 
> I've had this chapter ready for over 24 hours and I was going to wait to post it until next Saturday and try to keep on a regular schedule (posting an update every Saturday). But two things stopped me. One: guilt. Two: The idea of a regular schedule inherently destroys me. So... lucky you, readers. I hope you enjoyed it.


	12. Promise Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marnie gets an unexpected call from Doctor Harvey. Emily and Shane talk things out. Sebastian wakes up to a surprise. Haley reflects on her relationship with her sister. Violet nearly dies of embarrassment. Marnie imparts some wisdom to her nephew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Note: This chapter has a description of drowning and Shane's final thoughts before accepting his death. In addition, there's going to be talk about mental health and the complicated feelings around a loved one's suicide attempt. Just a heads up.

Marnie roused early that Monday, despite the rain that would usually keep her in bed a bit longer. She did not remember Shane coming in last night, so he must have stayed out later, as he said he would. _I hope he had a good time…_ she thought to herself, swinging her legs off the bed and hearing the crackling of her joints as she rose to her feet. _Ah, to be young and able to stay out all night._

The cows would not need milking for a few hours, so the brunette grabbed her robe off the hook near her bed and wrapped it around her. Putting on her slippers, the woman shuffled toward the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee. It was a miserably dreary morning. Jas would probably sleep in without the sunshine filtering through her window. Mornings like this, Marnie could sit at the table in peace and her daily crossword puzzle from the newspaper.

James had loved crossword puzzles. Marnie would sit with him in the mornings, reading her books, and occasionally watch him nibble on the end of his pen as he pondered the answers. It was one of those little, seemingly insignificant details that she missed about her late husband. He had always been much better at them than Marnie, but since James' passing, the widow took up the hobby herself. The rancher might even call herself "good" at them now. So, for a while, Marnie listened to the rain, sipping her heavily creamed coffee, and marking the little squares with the corresponding letters. Marnie was at peace.

About quarter past seven, Marnie noticed that she did not hear Shane getting ready for work. Did he have today off? Her nephew never had a weekday free from his job. Did he sleep through his alarm? Marnie had not heard one. She sighed, fiddling with her braid, which had loosened in her sleep. Shane was an adult, so she should allow him to make his own mistakes. And yet… her nephew had fallen rock bottom lately. Perhaps she had, too. Marnie scoffed. It must run in the family, she thought sadly.

Then, the phone rang. "Who could that be this early?" the livestock farmer asked herself, picking up the phone. "Marnie's Ranch! This is Marnie speaking," she answered in a chipper tone.

"Marnie? It's Doctor Harvey," the voice on the other line replied. Marnie felt her heart sink when the man stated, "I have Shane here in the clinic. I want to keep him here for observation a little long, but he wanted me to let you know he's here."

The woman covered her mouth with her hands to stifle the urge to sob. "W-What happened? Why is Shane at the clinic?" she asked Harvey.

Doctor Harvey did not answer for a moment, though the silence felt like eons to Marnie. "He… fell into the ocean last night from quite a way up," the local medic answered hesitantly. "Luckily, there were others with him when it happened, and they were able to get him here relatively quickly. I think we should all be thankful we have such a tight-knit community in times like these."

Marnie shuddered and pulled up a chair next to the phone to sit down. "Doctor…" she whispered. "I would appreciate it if we could keep this quiet, for Jas' sake." It would frighten her niece to find out her godfather was in the hospital. As her guardian, Marnie wanted to do everything she could to shield the little girl from another trauma. Jas had already dealt with enough.

"Of course," the physician assured Shane's aunt in a soothing tone. "I understand completely."

Though Harvey could not see it, Marnie nodded her head appreciatively. "When can I come see him?"

"That… depends on Shane," the practitioner responded. "He's been mostly asleep since we got him stable earlier this morning. When he wakes up again, I'll discuss it with him. In the meantime, please know that Shane's in good hands here."

"Thank you, Doctor," Marnie returned, her voice cracking a bit as the tears finally flowed from her eyes. She hung up the phone and allowed herself to sob as quietly as she could so not to wake Jas. She was both heartbroken that Shane was in such a state because of his drinking - she knew from the way the doctor hesitated when she asked what had happened - and terribly relieved he was still alive. It was all too much. Marnie could not bear the loss of another young life in the family. It was all just too much.

Finally, when the tears in her eyes finally dried up, Marnie dabbed her face with a cool cloth and picked up the phone to dial. "Jodi?" the rancher greeted her neighbor. "I'm sorry to bother you so early, but I have a favor to ask. Could I drop off Jas sometime today? It wouldn't be for long…"

* * *

The burning in his lungs was more than he could take. His vision swam shades of grey, brown, and blue and he felt the pounding of the surf toss him about. All he wanted was to stop the pain - in his head, in his heart… It was all too much. And yet, he wanted to live. Despite the universe pounding him to dust, Shane flailed about, trying to find his way up toward the surface. But the sea had another plan for him as the watery depths opened their maw to swallow him whole. Just another meal for the billions of creatures they inhabited. Nothing consequential.

Shane felt like he was on fire and he gripped his chest, which felt as if it were about to burst. His vision slowly faded to black as he released the air in his lung which he had so desperately protected, and the salty taste of the ocean filled him up like a balloon. As his vision faded to dark and he felt his consciousness slipping away, Shane could not help but consider the irony of his situation. Just when he had reached out his hand for help to pull himself out of this damn hole, the universe gave him one last "fuck you" by dropping him into the sea. At least he had let go of Emily so she would not suffer the same fate.

He hoped that Emily would not cry for him for long. Damn, he was touched that anyone other than family would shed tears for him. He thought of Jas and Marnie. Shane wished he had done better by them. Hopefully, Jas would find a better father figure, a more suitable role model than a drunken failure. Man, he really fucked up this life, even in his death. Poor Jas... She deserved so much more. His goddaughter did not deserve to lose so many parental figures so early in life. Maybe if there was a god, Shane could ask that they send the little girl some happiness. That's all he wanted.

Shane closed his eyes, realizing that he could not tell when they were open anyway, and accepted the end, allowing himself to be carried along by the current. He could not fight it anymore. He was too tired, too beaten down... Maybe this would not be so bad.

While he lost the last of his consciousness, Shane felt a tug on his clothing. Had a shark found him already? Of course it had. Just his luck...

* * *

Emily stirred to the gentle tapping of the raindrops on the window above the bed. It was difficult to tell how much time had passed, but the woman felt a bit better after some rest. Her throat was dry and luckily, someone had left her a glass of water resting on the top of the broad headboard. The woman drank it greedily, the liquid cooling the inflamed tissue.

Looking around, Emily realized that she was still in the clinic. Haley lay beside her in a cot, her chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. The sapphire-haired woman rose to her feet and found her dry clothes on the stool at the foot of the bed. Emily pulled them on quickly and turned the corner of the partition to find Shane.

He was in the largest segment of the recovery room and lay there still, but obviously breathing. Emily exhaled heavily, like a weight had been lifted from her chest. She knelt by his bedside and held his hand. Shane looked so ghostly pale, like all the blood had been drained from his face. It made his dark hair and stubble more striking in comparison. But the barkeep noticed something different about him today. She could not see his aura, Emily realized. Why?

Pulling Shane's hand to her body, Emily held it tightly. "You really terrified me back there, you know..." she scolded him half-heartedly. In truth, she was just glad he was alive, so she could not stay mad at him right now. Her anger would have to wait until later when Shane was able to receive it.

"I... suppose I'm not very brave for telling you while you're still resting," Emily explained to the unconscious man asleep on the bed. "But you're the only one who seems to accept me for who I am, you know." She glanced down at Shane's hand and stroked it with her thumb. "I've always been the weird girl that people make fun of..." Emily smiled sadly as she reflected inwardly. "Growing up, they tell you to be yourself," she stated, her body collapsing in on itself protectively, "but it turns out that I stick out too much. Too loud, too bold with the colors I wear, too 'out there' to fit in..."

Her chestnut eyes stared at Shane directly as she continued. "I never really had any friends growing up. I mean, my sister was always there, and she called me 'weird,' but that's to be expected of your sibling, right?" Before Emily knew it, she felt hot tears streaming down her cheeks. "But it got so lonely after a while, because I became the weird girl that no one wanted to play with, or hang out with on the weekends, or even talk to. I was always 'too much,' they said. I had to tone down my personality for people to want to be around me."

Emily's chapped lips twitched as she tried to stop herself from openly sobbing. "And it hurt so much that I could not be myself and be accepted by the people around me, you know?" She felt a few droplets fall onto her ruby red dress and she watched the moisture bloom into larger circles on the fabric. "So... when you came along and did not try to change me… When you accepted me for all my silliness and quirks, Shane... I -"

There was a rustling of fabric from the bed. "I didn't do all that much," Shane groaned softly, returning the pressure on her hands in assurance. "I was a jackass to you when we first met, just like everyone else... You're the one that broke me out of my shell." His eyes were barely open, but Emily could tell he was awake now. "Only someone as wonderfully weird as you, Emily…" When his words finally processed, the young woman gasped in surprise and flung herself onto Shane, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug.

"Shane!" Emily cried happily, this time her tears turning to those of joy. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

Shane coughed slightly. "Easy there, Em..." he begged, gritting his teeth to brace himself from the pain in his chest.

Emily immediately withdrew when she realized the problem. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed apologetically.

"I deserved that after what I put you through last night..." he admitted, looking ashamed of himself. "So quit apologizing to me. You're the last person who should be sorry for anything." He stole a look at her before averting his gaze once again. "You literally talked me out of killing myself last night and then I had the audacity to almost get myself killed anyway." He chuckled at the morbid irony. "If that isn't a cruel thing to do, I don't know what is."

Emily frowned; her eyebrows raised with concern. "Shane, I'm so proud of you for calling me last night," she articulated with a sweet smile. "You kept your promise, and that's what matters." The red-clad woman took both his hands in hers again. "Because of that, you're still here. You are so unbelievably resilient, Shane. I believe in you."

So far, Emily's words had done nothing but sober Shane further, if the near-death experience had not done enough of that already. He wiggled his hands free from her grasp and set them on his lap. The man could not look at the woman kneeling beside his bed, he was so embarrassed and angry at himself. "Emily, I... I know I need professional help so I can get a grip on my condition," he began wearily, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, I'm not gonna ask you or anyone else to fix me." He paused, exasperated with his own actions. "And fuck, no one deserves to be put through the kind of hell I've put you through lately..." His dark eyes met Emily's warm orbs and he balled his fists on his thighs as he made a vow to her. "But I hope - maybe someday - I can be the kind of man you think I am."

Emily beamed at Shane, the grin reaching her eyes in a way that he knew she was being genuine. He returned the gesture weakly. "I know you can do it, Shane. I look forward to it..." she told him earnestly. The red-clad woman patted his leg from atop the blanket and stood up. "Now, shall we get ourselves something to eat? I think everyone could use a meal..."

* * *

Sebastian lay half-awake in the bed of the hospital idyllically warm and comfortable. Did this place have weighted blankets? There was a warm pressure on one side of his body. As Sebastian eased into consciousness, he realized that he heard the gentle rise and fall of another person's breathing. Blinking, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, but for some reason his left arm was stuck in place. Something pinned it to his side.

His ink-black eyes glanced toward his shoulder and found a silky mass of purple strands resting on his chest. Confused, Sebastian found an arm draped across his body and tucked slightly under the right side of his torso and realized the weight he felt under the blanket was a leg wrapped around his own left one. The young man froze. Violet was in the same bed as him. Not only that, but she had also ensconced Sebastian, trapping his form against her own. The black-haired male was suddenly acutely aware that they were both practically naked, with only hospital gowns separating them.

Sebastian could feel the warmth of her breath on his neck, making the little hairs on his skin stand on-end. Violet was warm and soft, yet he could not escape with her thigh pinning down his waist. He was trapped and through entirely no fault of his own he had morning wood. The programmer tried to clear his mind of the pleasurable sensations of her breasts pressed up against his left arm and chest and the gentle pressure of her embrace.

"Dead frogs, dead frogs, dead frogs," he chanted to himself quietly, trying to kill his body's natural reaction. But all his dirty mind could think about was how easily Violet could swing her leg over his body the rest of the way and straddle him. Then he could pull her down to lie atop of him and wrap his hand around the back of her head to kiss her. And they were hardly wearing clothing, it would not take much effort to just…

 _Fuck!_ he cursed himself silently. Sebastian yanked at his tapered black bangs with his free right hand, trying to stop the train of thought with physical pain to distract him. He glanced at the woman who had trapped him in this cozy, comfortable prison. Sebastian felt both guilty and justified. Yes, his mind was in the gutter, but he was a man, wasn't he? There was a woman he was already attracted to in the same bed as him. This was a perfectly normal reaction to the situation! But why did it make him feel like he needed to shower?

Sebastian sighed. Maybe if he went back to sleep, he could wait it out. He did not want to wake Violet up, after all. And by then, maybe this poorly timed boner would be gone and he would not have to worry about it. He knew if he left it alone long enough, it would go away on its own. Besides, despite his sexual fantasies about where this situation could lead, it also felt comforting to have Violet snuggled up to him.

Also, he had been in the bed first, so Violet was the one who crawled into bed with him. Clearly, he was not the pervert in this scenario. Was there really anything wrong with closing his eyes and just enjoying the moment while it lasted? Carefully, Sebastian wiggled his left arm free from between his torso, resting it around Violet's waist, and closed his eyes to drift back off into blissful unconsciousness.

* * *

Haley awakened in her cot when she heard the murmuring of a voice somewhere in the room. It took a few seconds, but the blonde recognized Emily's voice. The woman sat up, stretching her aching muscles. Haley did not work out a lot, so practically dragging her sister from the cliffs to town the night before had been a strain on her body.

Emily was not in her bed, so she listened more closely to the sound of her sister's voice. She felt a lump form in the pit of her stomach as her older sister spoke about her loneliness for being so different. Haley always got on Emily's case for being so strange, but she did not realize that so many others had done the same. Then again, now that she thought about it, she never really defended Emily when she heard people talking about her sibling. The blonde would just laugh along with everyone else. The former "it" girl wondered how things might have been different for Emily, had Haley chosen to do something about all the people who made fun of her older sister. Would Emily have fit in better?

It quickly became apparent that Shane was awake as well with the grunt of pain on the other side of the privacy screen. Haley wanted to go in and yell at him for his irresponsible behavior, but he and Emily were having a moment and she was not about to spoil that. Especially after she overheard him acknowledge that he needed professional help and that Emily was not responsible for his recovery. The blonde could respect that. Still, she would have to find another time to chew him out when Emily was not around. Haley supposed she would have to wait.

Haley quickly ducked into the bathroom to dress into her clothes and when she emerged, Doctor Harvey was in the recovery room talking to Shane and Emily had disappeared. Glancing to the area she and Emily slept, the bed had already been stripped of its sheets and the cot was gone. Haley wandered out into the waiting room and discovered Emily there with Maru.

Emily spotted her sister and smiled. "Good morning, sunshine!" the sapphire-haired woman greeted her in a singsong tune. "Did you sleep well?" Haley shifted uncomfortably realizing that her sister's face showed no indication that she was crying recently. Did she have that much practice hiding her pain?

"I slept enough," Haley answered with a shrug. "We should probably get home and get out of Maru and Doctor Harvey's way," the blonde added, glancing at Maru as she spoke.

The nurse nodded. "Yes, don't worry about Shane, we'll take care of him from here - including his meals." Ah, of course. Emily probably wanted to go home and make a feast for everyone and lug it back here. Haley knew her sister was that kind of person, so it made it difficult to imagine that Emily had trouble making friends.

Haley took her sister by the arm. "You heard Maru, let's go home, sis." Emily's big brown eyes blinked in surprise but allowed herself to be led away by her younger sibling. The blonde realized that she called Emily "weirdo" often, so the term of endearment probably caught her older sibling off-guard.

Once they were outside, Haley loosened her grip on Emily and chose instead to link arms. "You could have told me being called 'weird' hurt your feelings so much," the blue-eyed sister pouted. While Emily had always been there to provide a pep talk when Haley felt down, it never occurred to Haley that her older sister would need looking after, too. Emily always seemed bright and cheerful around her.

Emily frowned. "You overheard that, huh?" she replied quietly, the sound of her voice almost drowned out by the drumming of the rain droplets on the ground. "I didn't mean for you to hear that…"

Haley rolled her eyes. "Well, it's too late now," she declared. She gave Emily a playful shove with her shoulder. "I'm not your responsibility anymore. We're adults now." Her lips stretched in a small smile. "Though I think it was good I heard your conversation. It helped me understand you better." Haley gave her sister a hopeful look. "I want you to be more open with me in the future, Emily."

Emily returned the grin with one of her own. "Well, for starters, I actually don't mind being called weird. It's more about how a person uses the word." The red-clad woman twiddled her fingers, "Sometimes it's endearing…" she added with a shy smirk.

"Like when Shane calls you weird?" Haley snorted, hopping over the enormous puddle in front of their house. "At least now I know what you see in him. I didn't really like you being friends with him until I heard what he said to you today." The blonde pulled the key to their house from her pocket and unlocked the door, gesturing for Emily to go in first. "He's like - a decent guy sometimes." While Haley hated to admit it, she had just written Shane off as a local drunk. And although she still had that first impression of him, if he really got the help he needed, Haley might give him a chance to improve that image. "You're still way out of his league, though."

"You're sweet, Haley," Emily replied, entering the house, and getting out of the rain. The two shed their rain gear near the front door so they did not drip all over the floor and hung things up to dry. Haley headed straight for her room. "I'm going back to sleep for a while," she informed her older sister. The blonde paused at the door, pursing her lips as she pondered her next words. "Unless you want to hang out or something?"

Emily beamed. "Maybe another time," she replied. "I should probably get a few things done before I head to work today."

Her younger sister shrugged. "Suit yourself, weir-" Haley stopped herself mid-word. "... Sis," she finished before closing the door to her room and heading back to bed.

* * *

Violet felt a comforting warmth beside her as she stirred. Had Bruno sprawled out on the bed again? The farmer did not mind too much. Her loyal canine companion was a welcomed bedmate. But unlike usual, Violet did not feel the soft fur of her faithful German Shepherd brushing up against her face. In fact, not only did it feel as if she were snuggled up to another person, but Violet could also have sworn there was an arm around her as well.

Her deep blue eyes fluttered open and Violet saw the beige of the blanket over her. She was lying on her side, but it looked like the other half of the bed was occupied. Wait, why was her pillow moving? Tilting her head upward, the farmer realized that what she thought was a pillow was in fact Sebastian's chest and his arm looped under her neck and around her. Violet's left side was draped across the man beside her. The young woman imploded with questions, none of which she verbalized as she silently screamed at the situation.

How did they end up in the same bed? Doctor Harvey had told her the bed was empty! Then again, Violet never saw Sebastian leave last night. Did she seriously just fall into bed with her cute guy friend? She must have. Did Sebastian even know? Violet remembered coming in to check on him at one point and seeing him asleep. How could she have been so stupid?

Violet felt the heat rising in her body. She could have died of embarrassment, and yet… careful not to move much, she glanced up at the sleeping Sebastian. He still smelled like the sea and his hair was a little messy, but Violet could not help but think he still looked handsome. His mouth was open a bit as he breathed in and out so serenely. For some reason, Violet felt an intense urge to kiss him, but she knew that would not be okay.

Pouting, Violet nestled her head back onto Sebastian's chest to think things through. This was a comfortable sleeping position, she noticed. She even enjoyed the feeling of Sebastian's arm around her. The young woman's eyes went wide as saucers when she realized both she and Sebastian were in hospital gowns. Trying not to disturb her bedfellow, Violet turned her head to look around the room. Near the foot of the bed was a lightly colored wooden table with two small piles of neatly folded clothing. Oh, no… Someone saw them sleeping together. Whoever left their clothes in the room stacked the underwear on top of each pile. Who would do that?! Now anyone who walked in here would see her cute underwear! Violet only felt slightly better when she realized that Sebastian's frog-patterned boxers were laying out for everyone to see, too.

But wait, that meant… Violet went as red as the radishes she harvested the day before. This was even worse than she thought. _Disaster level: Wolf!_ she thought in a panic. The farmer had to get out of this situation immediately and slip out of the room before Sebastian woke up to avoid any further mortification.

Violet rolled back on her side slightly to gauge the space with which she could work. Unfortunately, she was right on the edge. These beds were only made for one person, after all. _Okay, so the first step is to get my leg off him, then my arm, so I don't lose balance and fall off the bed._ Violet lifted her leg from Sebastian's hips slightly and pulled it toward the rest of her body. The farmer did not think she could get any more embarrassed until her naked thigh brushed up something firm as she brought her own legs together. Violet knew from growing up with a brother that these things happened while they slept, but it did not make her feel better. In fact, it kind of turned her on for some reason. She swore silently as Bex's mocking words "Violet wants the D!" rang in her mind and the train of thought flew off the tracks from there.

The woman shook her head, trying to shake herself out of the gutter. _This is just my monkey brain telling me to reproduce to ensure the continuation of the species…_ she thought in annoyance. _I am more than my monkey brain. I am **evolved!**_ Violet could not allow her first time to be pure primal urge. Besides, there was no guarantee that Sebastian would even want to anyway. She could not just jump him like that, especially in a hospital bed.

While the angel and demon on her shoulder continued their debate, Violet decided to slip out of bed. Gently lifting Sebastian's arm from her body, Violet wiggled free and successfully landed her feet on the floor without harm to herself or her dignity.

Laying Sebastian's arm back on the bed, Violet went to retrieve her clothing and ducked into the bathroom adjoining this section of the room to use the facilities and dress. When she emerged, the farmer found her friend still fast asleep on the bed. To save face, the pastel-haired woman decided to let him sleep and head home. Maybe this way, Sebastian would be unaware that she had ever been there at all.

* * *

Shane heard Marnie's voice before she entered the room. The man recovering at the clinic told the doctor to let his aunt know he was here, but part of him regretted it now. Shane sat up, attempting to look as well as possible. The patient did not want Marnie to experience another scare by seeing him in a sorry state. He hoped it did not look as ragged as he felt.

Marnie entered the room screened off by green fabric and sat on the stool beside Shane's bed. Though she had done well to hide it, he could tell the brunette had been crying. "I'm so glad you're alive…" she began quietly. "But I've got a lot of emotions right now. Another part of me is angry at you, I'll admit that." Her fingers twisted together in her lap, as if knotting a rope in her hands. "I can't believe you would do something as terrible as trying to kill yourself when there are people who love and care about you in the world. And I'm devastated you thought to do that before reaching out to the people who have been offering their hand to you." Her jaw set rigidly, and a tear rolled down her cheek before she added, "You just slap them away and do something like this!"

His fingers fiddled with the beige fabric of the blanket that covered him guiltily, unsure of what to say. "Aunt Marnie, I…" he sighed in exasperation. "I know I've been a total fuck-up since the accident -"

The rancher, despite her tense body language, placed a gentle hand on her nephew's balled fist. "Shane, I've never thought of you as a 'fuck-up,'" she told him quietly. Shane could see her posture soften and collapse in on itself slightly. "I just saw a young man struggling to find his place in the world after all his dreams came crashing down on him."

Shane avoided his aunt's gaze, thrown off by Marnie's sympathetic point of view. The woman heaved heavily. "I know it was always my brother's dream to have a son go gridball pro," Marnie knitted her brow, brushing a stray lock of hair from Shane's face in a motherly fashion. "But I always wondered if that was what you really wanted with your life, Shane."

Shane kept his eyes glued to his lap. It was not as if he had not considered the possibility Marnie posed many times over the last decade. But what could be done about it now? Did it really matter whose dream had been brutally slaughtered that day if he could not change the fact it was an impossibility now? Either way, Shane had yet to figure out what the hell to do with the rest of his miserable existence. "Maybe it was dad's dream," he admitted hesitantly. "But it doesn't change the fact that I'm in a dead-end job with no major life plans. I just… wake up, go to work, drink, sleep, repeat. What kind of life is that Aunt Marn?"

Marnie reached over and stroked his head affectionately. "Oh, Shane," she whispered pitifully. "You sound like me after I lost James…" she crooned softly. "Just adrift in the world with nothing to anchor you." Despite how much Shane wanted to brush her away, he leaned to rest his head on Marnie's shoulder, and allowed her to gently pet his head as she spoke.

Marnie reached around Shane's back and rested her elbow on his shoulder as she stroked his head soothingly. "It was a tragedy when Cousin David and Lila died that day," she told her nephew. "And I know it hurt you just as much. Those two were better parents to you than my brother and his wife. Anyone who saw you all together could see that." Marnie gave a knowing look in Shane's direction. "And Jas is about the same age as Samantha was when you left the house. I think that's been stirring up a lot of dusty, old feelings for you, hasn't it?"

Shane felt both relieved that Marnie understood him so well and guilty that it was true. "Yeah…" he confessed in a whisper. He felt the tears forming in his eyes. The man's voice trembled as he opened up about all the things he kept locked inside. "I just wanted to do right by one kid, Marnie."

The rancher did not care about her nephew's tears wetting the coppery fabric of her shirt. "Both Samantha and Jas still adore you, Shane. I hope you know that."

"Sure, Jas is still young, but how could Samantha ever forgive me for ditching her like that?" Shane lamented to his kin. "I'm her brother and I left without explaining what was going on to her."

Marnie chuckled and patted her nephew on the back. "You clearly haven't spoken to your little sister lately, Shane."

Shane straightened his posture, not quite daring to hope, and yet he could not help but wonder. "You're still in touch with Samantha?"

The brunette nodded. "Of course, I still talk to my favorite niece!" she retorted as she beamed with pride. "She'll be off to her senior year of college soon."

Shane's mouth twisted in a frown. "Shouldn't it be her junior year?" he countered. Sure, he had not been home in over a decade, but he still knew his sister was not old enough to be a senior in college yet.

Marnie smirked, knowing that despite her nephew's words, his little sister was on his mind enough that he kept track of her age and progress in school. "Oh, she went in with enough advanced placement credits from high school that she's graduating early."

The dark-haired man exhaled sharply through his nose. "Sounds just like Sammy. She's a bright kid…"

"A kid who still loves her big brother!" Marnie insisted, nudging her younger brother's son affectionately.

Shane shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe she would ever forgive," he said miserably.

"From what I understand, Samantha doesn't think there's anything to forgive." Marnie smiled, giving Shane a one-armed hug. "We don't have to be perfect to be deserving of love, Shane. We must be willing to let others in. That's what makes our silly little lives worth living, you know."

The woman gave him one last squeeze before leaning back to her perch on the stool beside the bed. "There are a lot of people in this town who want you to succeed, Shane. It's a good community here." Marnie's lips curved upward weakly. "I ran into Emily on the way here. She let me know that you called her for help when you thought you would do yourself harm. The poor girl even said that before you fell, you had agreed to come home. So, I can at least relax a little knowing that you chose to live when it came right down to it…"

She tilted her head toward the partition. "But if not for those girls, I don't think you would be sitting here right now. I'm forever grateful to them." She paused for a moment, considering how to phrase her meaning. "But other people can only do so much. You can't help someone that doesn't want to be helped, after all." Marnie reasoned.

The brunette shifted forward in her seat, her thick braid falling over her shoulder as she clasped Shane's hands tightly. "Promise me you'll ask for help when things get to be too much like you did last night. And that you'll give the other villagers here a chance, alright? You might be surprised how many people want to be a part of your life, Shane."

Shane scoffed, freeing his hands from his aunt's grasp, but nodded his response to her request. "Fine, I promise," he answered with a grumpy shrug.

"Good boy." Marnie planted a kiss atop his head and rose from the stool with a sense of purpose, straightening the skirt of her emerald green dress. "Now, let's get Doctor Harvey in here and see what we can do to get you feeling better, shall we?"

As his relative disappeared around the privacy screen to find the local doctor, Shane could not help but feel grateful for his father's sister. There were people in his life willing to help him, but now he had to learn to accept that help. Shane wanted to feel better again, and he knew the only way to do it was to start seeing himself the way his loved ones did. But why did the mere idea of that make him so anxious?


	13. Childish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet discovers that her brother Zach is once again meddling all the way from NuNu City. Eshra Talla waits for her father to finish his business so that they can travel along their trade route. Shane explains to Jas what's going on with him. Haley chats with Shane while waiting for Emily to take Shane to ZuZu City for his appointment. The band - minus Sebastian - gets together for practice. Sebastian finds a gift in the fridge.

Violet did not expect to find Robin waiting under the awning on her front porch that housed her firewood when she arrived home. The timing was too perfect. Did the carpenter somehow know her shameful secret? The pastel-haired woman tried to play it cool. "Hi, Robin! How's it going?"

Upon hearing the farmer's voice, Robin looked up and gave her a friendly smile. "I'm here to work, silly!" The red head handed her a piece of paper with a crude map of the property drawn on it. "You sent this map and the money in the mail to build you a new cabin, but the location you indicated isn't cleared yet. I wanted to talk to you about alternative options…"

Violet examined the map closely and found a red "x" on the prime location next to the central pond where she planned to put her next crop field. "Oh, hell no…" she scoffed in disbelief when she spied the design for the handsome pine house with a green roof. "Zach tried to get his own private guest house built without my knowing."

Robin blinked. "Is this the brother who got Lewis to upgrade your house?" she asked curiously.

"I've only got the one," Violet groaned, rubbing her face against her palm in exasperation. The farmer handed the map back to the carpenter. "Either way, he can't have his guest cabin there. I need that space for when I expand my fields." The farmer did not want to have to do anything productive today, but she supposed she had no other choice. "I'll clear the land, just give me a few hours." She glanced at the ginger apologetically. "You can probably go and get some lunch for now. I hope to be done by the time you get back."

Robin hoisted a bundle to shoulder-height. "No worries, my handsome hubby packed me lunch," she replied with a grin.

"Oh." Violet was not used to displays of affection between married couples. Then again, her parents split for a reason. "In that case, you can sit inside with Bruno if you want," Violet offered, so that her guest could get out of the rain. "I'm sure he would enjoy the company…"

"That's sweet of you," Robin said, opening the door to the farmhouse and letting herself into the kitchen. Bruno barked at the intruder but relaxed as soon as the woman offered him a piece of her meal.

"Some guard dog you are!" Violet playfully scolded her canine as she stepped inside briefly to grab a field snack. Bruno ignored the insult and happily accepted the bribe from the carpenter as his owner ventured back out into the rain.

As punishment for trying to go behind her back, Violet cleared land for her brother's cabin on the opposite corner of the farm. It was a shame to cut down so many pine trees, as they were the most prevalent species in the southwest portion of her farmland, but she had to nip this kind of behavior in the bud before Zach trampled all over her. At least the pines smelled pleasant, even as she chopped them down. Fresh sap oozed from the stumps, and the scent reminded her of the mountain, and of a certain young man who lived upon its slope.

Violet recognized she was distracted, and she flushed at the recent memory of Sebastian's sleeping form beside her. The farmer immediately flustered and miscalculated the swing of her axe, lodging it into the soft, muddy earth instead. "Of course, Zach found a way to mess with me all the way from NuNu!" the pastel-haired woman griped, yanking the blade out of the grime. Before she knew it, Violet made great progress in her work by imagining the stump as her meddlesome older brother's head.

* * *

Eshra sat in one of the tide pools on the eastern beach of Pelican Town, waiting impatiently for night to come so that her cart could be transported along its sea route. Although she was an excellent swimmer, the syren could not very well lug large quantities of goods. As usual, Eshra Talla needed to remain in her natural form for the next several days, to recharge the magic in the tiny shell she wore around her neck for her human disguise, which she used to conduct most of her business.

So she waited impatiently for her father to be satisfied that the business day was done. "No one will come in this rain…" she stated flatly, lounging among the rocky edge of the tide pool. She eyed a particularly delicious looking crab, which quickly scuttled under an earthen formation to escape her predatory gaze.

The bearded man chuckled, patting the satchel of pendants hanging at his hip. "I only come here when it rains, Esh," he reminded his impatient daughter. "If you're expected somewhere, you'd best not disappoint a customer."

"I am still offended you sell that which repels me," the teal-haired creature scoffed, her gills flaring in annoyance. "I hardly eat men anymore as it is…"

The old mariner smirked, his skin stretching like old, worn leather. "Oh, don't be like that, guppy," he scolded affectionately. Eshra hissed at the infantilizing nickname, but her father continued. "You know it's so syrens know the person would be missed if they were to suddenly disappear. You and your sisters nearly ate your way through the entire population of that isle back on the Fern Islands!" he berated his child. "Willy and I couldn't even step ashore without a riot for at least a decade."

"That was over a century ago!" the syren argued indignantly. "I was teaching them to hunt and it was only half of the _male_ population," Eshra corrected her kin with a pointed glare. "Besides, the women desired it, father. Their lovers were all unfaithful swine." The syren picked at her claws casually, "From what I understand now, that tiny patch of land is known to human women who seek the hearts of their fellow females." Tossing a piece of stray seaweed into the tide pool, she flashed the man a tooth grin. "Our services are no longer necessary."

The old man adjusted his hat against the trajectory of the rain. "Maybe not there, but you started a hunt in this area recently…"

Eshra glanced coldly at her father. "I am sure Mother told you." She lowered herself into the water to stretch the muscles in her tail, twisting herself in the low water to get the best angle. "She approves of my work, why can you not do the same, father?"

The sailor cackled and smiled at his daughter. "I can love ya without approving everything you do, guppy. Same goes for your mother…"

The syren exhaled sharply, droplets of water forced from her gills mingled with the rain into the pool of water below. "So be it…" she growled in an animalistic, yet somehow childish voice. "I do not hunt the man to eat, but I have yet to decide if he is up to the task I have in mind…"

"Ah, that one the Gotorans asked about?" the bearded man replied knowingly. Tapping his chin, he added, "Harvey would be an ideal match for that, being a doctor and all…" with an approving bob of his head.

Eshra paused, sensing the presence of a human nearby. "It is only that boy allied with the Shadows who comes to watch the sea…" she observed with a click of her tongue. "Too bad he is not palatable. He would make for an easy treat."

The old mariner cackled. "Oh, I don't know, Eshie," he disagreed. "He's got a little sparkle in his eyes now, like he's got someone on his mind, and it lights him up from the inside." He grinned like a fool. "Perhaps I'll see him come by here to pick up one of my 'mermaid pendants' one day?"

"Or perhaps he will break my distant cousin's heart..." Eshra countered with a shrug and a sigh. "Only time will tell."

* * *

Jas knew something funny was going on when Aunt Marnie dropped her off at Vincent's house to play. Her suspicions were confirmed when Shane did not come home that night. So, when she rose from her sleep on Tuesday, Jas was determined to find out what happened to her godfather. Much to her surprise, however, Shane was already in the kitchen when she entered. Right away, she noticed that he was not wearing his Joja Mart jacket. Just shorts and a shirt from his favorite gridball team.

"Shane!" the girl shouted, throwing herself at her godfather, and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Where did you go?"

The man glanced to Marnie as if seeking approval, though Jas did not catch the interaction. The dark-haired man sighed and sank to his knees to be on-level with her. "I uh… I got sick and had to go see Dr. Harvey," he explained to Jas. "And I'm going to go see a doctor in Zuzu one a week for a while to help me get better again."

"That sounds bad!" Jas shot back, the concern palpable in the high squeak of her voice. She squeezed Shane desperately, as if her small body could shield him from the unknown ailment.

Shane gently pried the little girl from his torso and held her shoulders at arm's length to look at her. "It's a good thing, Jas," he assured her, adjusting one of her pigtails that had gone askew. "It also means I won't be working at Joja Mart for a while, so I'll get to spend more time with you until I go back."

Jas' eyes lit up. "You mean it?" she inquired excitedly, hopping up and down with joy. "Can we play dolls and dress up and -?"

"Whatever you want, so long as I'm not at the doctor or have plans," Shane answered with a mischievous smile, waggling his fingers to tickle his goddaughter. He snatched her up in his arms and the child giggled in delight.

It warmed Marnie's heart to see her niece and nephew getting on so well. Even if Shane was putting on a brave face for Jas, she knew that he was trying for himself, too. "Alright, Jas, let Shane go," the rancher ordered gently. "Shane has to get ready to go to ZuZu City for his appointment."

Jas paused curiously. "You're going to the city?" she questioned aloud. "Why do you have to go all the way there?"

Shane scratched his head anxiously. "Well, the doc I need to see works there, so I have to go to them."

The pastel-clad girl stomped her foot. "No, they should come here!"

Her godfather did not know how to respond. Luckily for Shane, her guardian stepped in. "Well, if the doctor comes here, they won't be able to help as many people because they'll waste time traveling to each patient's house, right?" Marnie reasoned with her niece. "Isn't it better for the doctor to help more people?"

Jas huffed but reluctantly agreed with the brunette. "Fine… but we're going to play when you get back!" the dark-haired girl insisted.

Shane smiled and rubbed the top of her head, messing up her hair a bit. "Sure thing, kid."

"Now, if you excuse me, I've got to go catch a ride to ZuZu…"

* * *

"Nnnnnghhh…" Haley released a cry of frustration as she tried to unscrew the lid of her favorite raspberry jam. "I just can't get this jar open!" she growled, clenching her teeth together as she strained against the seemingly immoveable cap. If just smashing the container against the countertop would not result in glass shards in her food, Haley would have seriously considered it. Flailing about, the blue-clad woman shook the jam jar like she was trying to squeeze the contents free.

"Are you, uh, okay?"

The blonde turned to find Shane standing in her kitchen, looking perplexed by her aggressive shouting. "Oh, thank goodness!" she breathed in relief. "You're pretty strong, aren't you? You lift heavy things all the time."

Shane balked at the question, glancing down at his beer belly self-consciously. Still, he did lift lots of heavy boxes and cans of things at Joja Mart. "Uh… sure, I guess I'm kinda strong."

Haley smiled and shoved the object of her strife into the poultry farmer's hands. "Great, then you shouldn't have any problem opening this jar for me!"

The former Joja Mart employee gripped the closure and its container tightly and twisted them in opposite directions. There was a pop from the release of suction and Shane handed the open jar to Haley. "You mean like this?" The dark-haired man could not help but gain a little satisfaction from the minor display of strength.

"Hey, you did it!" Haley praised him, but immediately ruined it with her follow-up commentary. "You're stronger than you look!"

Shane sighed, "As usual, a stellar compliment, Haley." He pulled up one of the kitchen chairs and took a seat, waiting for Emily.

Haley's bright blue eyes glanced upward toward Shane as she slapped a layer of jam onto her toast. "Okay, like - fine, I deserve that one," the blonde admitted with a bite of her breakfast. "But if you're going to be around here more often, you're going to have to learn how to deal with me."

Shane's face colored slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The blonde rolled her eyes, "Like I didn't overhear that conversation with Emily you had at the clinic," she groaned, taking another bite of her toast. "It was disappointingly short of a juicy love confession, but it was kinda sweet for two dorks, I guess." Her coral pink lips curved upward in a smirk as she noticed Shane shift in his chair and avoid her gaze. Part of her really missed spilling tea right in front of the person who made it. There was a certain satisfaction in watching someone get so embarrassed with themselves over something so trivial. It was adorable, really.

Haley wiped the edges of her mouth with a napkin as she finished her meal. "You're alright," she told the man sitting at their kitchen table, "but I don't approve of you just yet. But you're kind of a slob and you need to get your act together before I let you date my sister. She's way out of your league as it is…"

Shane opened his mouth to argue, but Emily entered the kitchen from her bedroom. "Good morning residents of Pelican Town!" she declared upon seeing the two of them at the table. The sapphire-haired woman beamed at their guest. "Shall we get going, Shane? We don't want you to be late for your first appointment!"

The man nodded without a word and followed Emily out of the house. As the door shut behind them, Haley smiled, satisfied with her work. At least Shane knew she would be keeping an eye on him, not that he really needed it. The guy seemed kind of apologetic about the whole thing, but the woman made a vow that she would make sure so no one ever made Emily cry like that again. Emily always protected her, so now it was Haley's turn.

* * *

Abigail entered the front door of her boyfriend's house, which was still a strange new normal for her. But after having dinner with Sam's family several times now, Abigail got the sense that Jodi already loved that she and her son were dating. The amethyst-haired woman could not understand why, since Abigail hardly ever interacted with the woman on a one-on-one basis before. Maybe it was because her mom and Jodi were best friends?

She heard a soft clanging in the kitchen, like someone was rummaging through the fridge. That must be Sam. "Oh, hey, Abi. I was just about to have a snack. Here, let me get something for you." Sam opened the fridge and out fell an egg, splattering on the floor with a loud crack of the shell. Sam looked mildly flustered at being so clumsy in front of Abigail. "Oh no... What a mess," he groaned.

The soft patter of footsteps on the hardwood floor came from the hallway and Jodi appeared behind them in the kitchen. "What was that sound?" she asked, clearly alarmed. The brunette followed Sam's gaze to see the egg oozing out of its crisp white shell on the floor. She gasped. "This is absolutely terrible! What happened?"

"... Tell her, Abigail," Sam said with a pleading look. It was plain as the panic on his face that Sam did not have any ideas.

From the dinner she had with Sam's family, Abigail could tell that Jodi would give her a pass if it was her fault. Better take the hit, Abigail thought. "Sam was getting a snack out of the fridge and I bumped him, so the egg rolled off the shelf and smashed all over the floor," the young woman lied. It was mostly true, the only embellished part was that Abigail had anything to do with it. Oh, well.

Jodi's eldest son chimed in to back his girlfriend's story. "Yeah, that's what happened!"

Abigail sighed, making sure to look apologetic, "I'm sorry, I should have been more careful."

Jodi's expression slowly went from angry to understanding. "Thanks for telling me the truth, Abigail," she told the young woman appreciatively. Reversing her previous position, she added, "It's not such a big deal."

"I'm sorry about this, mom. I'll clean it up," Sam offered, scooping up the empty eggshell and retrieving a mop to clean the mess off the floor.

Jodi looked on with pride as her son took responsibility for some of the mess around the house. "Thanks, honey," she responded, stifling a giggle behind her hand. All it took was a girlfriend to inspire Sam to do more things around the house. If only he and Abigail had started dating years ago! The tawny-haired woman gave the couple one last look before she disappeared back into her bedroom to get ready for her aerobics class.

Sam rinsed the mop in the sink before squeezing it out and putting the cleaning implement away. "Thanks, Abi," he sighed with relief, bringing her in for a hug. "Even if it really was an accident, mom's been really on edge lately."

Abigail gave her boyfriend a squeeze. "What do you think it is?"

Sam pulled away from their embrace and shrugged. "Who knows? The only thing I've heard lately was she's worried I'll knock you up."

Abigail froze. "She what?!" Her cerulean eyes widened in fright. "She doesn't know that we…"

The blond peered around the corner to make sure none of his family members were within earshot. "Nah, she doesn't know we've been having fun sleepovers. I apparently just look at you like the snack that you are and that set off the alarm."

Looking pleased, Abigail tucked her amethyst hair behind her ear. "Damn straight, I am."

Sam grinned like a fool in love. "You're the appetizer, main course, and dessert all in one, babe!" he asserted before engulfing her in his arms and nibbling on her ear. Abigail squealed, trying to squirm away, but the blond kept a firm grip around her waist and shoulders. The two started to kiss when they were interrupted.

"MOM!" Vincent's distressed voice rang out as a look of pure horror washed over his face. "Sam's a zombie! He's trying to eat Abigail!"

The two lovebirds broke away from one another and Sam made an immediate grab for his little brother, who still pointed at him accusingly. "Vince! Be cool," the skater tried to reason with the child, but the strawberry blond would not have it. The boy dodged his older brother's attempts to restrain him and made a break for the front door.

Vincent opened the door and sprinted toward the museum, where he was supposed to meet Penny and Jas for summer reading today. The boy did not pay attention to where he was going and slammed into his teacher, nearly bowling her over. "Are you alright?" Penny asked Vincent as he clung to her leg.

"S-Sam's a zombie hungry for human flesh!" he wailed pitifully. "He already got Abigail." He whipped around as Abigail and Sam approached, putting himself between the couple and his beloved teacher. "S-save yourself, Miss Penny," he stuttered bravely. "I'll try to hold them off!"

Abigail did not bother trying to contain her amusement and openly laughed at the situation. "Vincent, Sam isn't a zombie!"

Vincent backed away a step as Abigail took one forward. "That's exactly what a zombie would say!" the kid replied suspiciously. "He got to you, too!"

The amethyst-haired woman sighed. "It's all a misunderstanding, Vincent," she began to explain. "Sometimes adults kiss and stuff to express their feelings."

"But Sam was _biting_ you, that's not kissing!"

Penny visibly reddened at the clarification and avoided looking at Sam and Abigail out of second-hand embarrassment. The brunette did, however, take control of the situation. "Vincent, I promise you that your brother is not a zombie." She adjusted her sunhat before kneeling down to Vincent's level. "You'll understand more when you're older," she told him with a pat on the back. "You don't have to worry about it for now."

The little boy kicked his heel in the dirt, not fully convinced that he had not witnessed attempted cannibalism. Despite his reservations, Vincent nodded. "Okay. I trust you, Miss Penny." He glanced shyly at his teacher. "But I hope I grow up soon, or I'll fall behind and lose you to my rival!"

Penny could not help but giggle at such a bold statement of intent. "Don't be in such a rush to grow up. Being a kid is a lot of fun, you know…" she told her student with a pleasant smile. "Enjoy it while it lasts, Vincent."

The group brought their conversation to a halt when they heard footsteps approaching. It was Violet carrying a tree sapling cradled in her arms. The farmer tried to free one hand to wave, but all she accomplished was to shake the tiny tree. "Hey, guys! Did I get the wrong day to watch band practice?"

Abigail shook her head. "No, we're just finishing up here. Right, Vincent?"

Frowning, Vincent agreed, if only so that he could go spend time with Miss Penny. The boy paused once he felt he was at a safe distance from his potentially compromised brother. "Just don't let them bite you!" he called back to Violet as a warning.

The pastel-haired woman chuckled and turned to her friends. "Do I wanna know?" she inquired with a smirk.

Sam shrugged. "Eh, my little brother just mistook my nibbling on Abigail's ear for cannibalistic zombie behavior."

"And you didn't lean into the zombie role?" Violet exclaimed with disappointment, shifting the sapling she carried to rest primarily on her left forearm. "What a missed opportunity!" she lamented teasingly.

The blond laughed as he led the way back to his house. "Spoken like a true sibling," he observed. He gestured to the vested woman beside him. "Abi doesn't get the dynamic. She's missed out as an only child."

Without warning, Jodi burst from the front door of the house, looking around frantically. The trio quickly explained to Jodi that despite Vincent's screams, there was no emergency. So, she left for her weekly aerobics class at the General Store's meeting space as scheduled and the young people were cleared for band practice. "The only reason I would want a sibling is to divide my mom's attention and keep her off my back," Abigail stated decisively as they entered the house. "Otherwise, they're just people you're forced to be friends with."

"Oh, my brother and I are not friends," Violet interjected decisively, setting her apple tree sapling down next to the front door to keep the dirt out of Jodi's clean house. "But things are better now that we don't have to live together."

Sam perked up at this. "I didn't know you had a brother, V! Maybe he and Vincent would get along?"

The grocer's daughter remembered Violet mentioning a brother when they talked about their families. "She has an older brother," Abigail corrected her boyfriend, taking her place at the drum set.

Violet nodded in confirmation, turning the chair in front of Sam's computer to face the center of the room, and taking a seat. "Though he works with kids surprisingly often for a lawyer who doesn't specialize in family law. I think he volunteers to improve his horrible reputation."

"Ah, he can't be all that bad," Sam thought aloud, picking up his guitar and strumming a few chords before tuning the instrument. "Speaking as an older brother, we're pretty cool dudes."

The farmer sniggered at this but humored her blond friend by not arguing the point. Abigail looked around and saw they were missing someone. "Where's Sebastian?"

"Oh, you guys didn't see his text?" Violet mentioned, holding up her phone. "He's got work holding him up. He won't be here today."

Sam frowned, "Well how're we gonna practice our new songs without our synth player?" he complained, plucking a minor chord to emphasize his displeasure. They would not get the full experience without all the instruments.

Violet chimed in. "Well, Sebastian did send a recording of his part so you all wouldn't be completely left in a lurch."

"Okay, so we technically have all the musical aspect, then." The drummer's light blue eyes shot the farmer a look. "That means Violet can help us out with some lyrics!"

"Oh?" the pastel-haired woman stiffened, hoping that the duo had not purposely invited her so that she would willingly fall into their trap to officially join the band.

The guitarist liked this idea. "Oh, sweet!" He dug around under his bed until he found a notebook and tossed it to their newest friend. "I've got some rough ideas, but they need a good polish."

"So, I don't have to sing?" Violet clarified with relief.

Sam winked, flashing a smile to their new, nervous lyricist. "Not unless you feel moved by the rockin' music." He picked up his guitar again and began to play. "I'm thinking it should go a little something like this…"

* * *

Sebastian finally emerged from his room relatively late that evening, exhausted from trying to work out the bugs in his code. "Maybe I bit off more than I can chew with this one…" he admitted to himself as he pulled the door of the refrigerator open and discovered a to-go container with his name on it.

Had his mom set aside leftovers from dinner for him? Sebastian had been too consumed with his work to join the rest of the family. The hungry programmer set the container on the table and pried it open, only to find a maki roll inside. Sure, it was a little fat, so the seaweed did not wrap perfectly, and the layer of rice on the outside was a little lumpy in places, but this was recognizably one of his favorite foods. Sebastian finally noticed the note on the container and opened it to find Violet's handwriting.

_We missed you at band practice today! I made too much for dinner and since they don't keep well, I thought you like some._

_I hope you're on a roll after eating this. I know good food always helps me think._

_\- Violet_

Sebastian smirked at the bad pun, sat down at the table, and popped a segment of the California roll into his mouth. _She used real crab meat!_ the young man thought in awe as his taste buds triggered all sorts of endorphins. Yeah, it did not look pretty, but it was damn delicious. "She even mixed in a little spicy mayo with the crab," he observed with a delighted groan that can only follow a bite of good food. Before he knew it, Sebastian shoved the rest of the maki into his mouth. He was hungrier than he thought.

The dark-haired man pulled his phone from his pocket to pass on his compliments to the chef. ***That was an awesome maki roll. Thanks, Violet!***

***I'm so glad you liked it! I'll try to improve my presentation next time. ^^()***

Sebastian thought it was funny Violet was so concerned about how it looked when it tasted the way it did. He wanted to reassure her. ***Eh, I like things a little messy. If it looks too perfect, you feel bad eating it, right?***

***I thought that was just me who felt badly for eating things that are meant to be eaten!***

The programmer imagined the look on Violet's face right now. Was she happy that he liked her food and related to her on some level? He hoped she was… ***I'm down to taste test your sushi anytime you want to make it!***

Sebastian smiled to himself, feeling much better after taking a break and eating something filling. He washed the container quickly and set it on the drying rack before heading back downstairs to his room to finish his work.

***As long as you promise not to eat it all! I don't often share, you know. You should be honored.*** Violet replied.

The programmer chuckled as he texted his answer. ***I make no promises. It's every man for himself when it comes to sushi.*** He added a winking face to make sure she knew he was teasing, but panicked immediately after sending. That was not going to give her the wrong idea, was it?

***RUDE!*** Sebastian relaxed at the response. Violet had not seemed to think he was flirting with her. He could deal with a miffed farmer. It was more fun that way. ***You try to steal my sushi and I _will_ bite you!***

***I'll take my chances.*** Sebastian could not imagine she would actually bite someone. Either way, he needed to end this conversation so he could focus. ***See you tomorrow at Sam's for band practice.***

***Oh, didn't Sam tell you? He has work tomorrow, so we're getting together at my place once he's done.***

The band could play music until late out at the farm. The nearest neighbors were a good distance away, so they would not be bothering anyone. That worked out well. ***There'd better be more maki!*** he demanded.

***I don't negotiate with food terrorists,*** the farmer countered with a winking emoji of her own. ***But if I happen to catch anything good tomorrow, the odds are in your favor.***

Sebastian smiled. Violet was starting to dish out some teasing in return. He liked that. ***See you tomorrow, Violet.***


	14. Beauty in the Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Maru's birthday, but she wants to keep in low-key. Emily adopts an injured bird. Maru witnesses an awkward argument between Penny and Pam. Violet discovers her mutant plants also yield strange produce. Band practice at the farmhouse. Alex drops by with a birthday gift for Maru.

Violet was not sure what she expected of her strange, mutant plants, but she was certainly not expecting the bronze hops to produce such blood-red flowers. They looked stunning, the farmer had to admit, especially against the metallic luster of the leaves. It was almost as if they were made of oddly cut rubies, yet Violet could tell that they were plants by the way they slowly absorbed the moisture poured on by the watering can.

Grabbing a pair of gardening gloves, Violet carefully removed the hops from the vine and found some empty jars in the house to put them in. Perhaps she should show this to Maru or Demetrius. It was possible that there was a perfectly reasonable non-magical explanation for all of this, and Violet was being overly cautious for nothing. And yet, the jar seemed… warm to the touch now. Was it the strange hops? The farmer was not brave enough to try touching them with her bare hands to find out.

Setting the sample aside, Violet tended to the rest of her garden, eyeing the similarly affected blueberry bush. Though, at this point she really should call it a blood berry bush from the deep red of its leaves. The pastel-haired woman wondered if the fruit would be just as shocking as her new hops. Part of her hoped so. It was kind of exciting to see something new. Even if it might be dangerous - it was at least contained, right?

Violet's deep blue eyes glanced at the regular hops and decided she should set aside a control sample for Maru as well. That way she could make a proper comparison. In a separate jar, the farmer did just that and put both containers in her bag. Stopping by to say 'hello' to Robin before she left, Violet headed for town to sell her the crops she knew were edible before heading to the beach to try and catch something suitable for maki-making this evening.

The young woman blushed, thinking of the warm, fuzzy feeling she got when Sebastian complimented her food. Violet hoped to see his reaction this time to see if he really meant it. Violet's insecurities screamed that her friend only said so to make her feel better, but there was a part of her that believed that Sebastian was being genuine. She liked the way the crab rolls turned out, even if they were a little lumpy. Clearly, he had good taste!

Violet smiled to herself, humming a merry tune as she headed toward the beach for some fresh shellfish. She only hoped that Talla's mother was feeling generous today. The farmer decided she would have to ask the merchant more about the goddesses during their next encounter. She had so many questions, though Violet admitted that she was afraid of some of the answers.

* * *

Emily stepped outside, the warm morning air filling her lungs and invigorating her senses. "Ah…" she breathed, smiling at the sun. "Another beautiful day in Pelican Town," she sighed happily. Things had gone well getting Shane to his appointment yesterday and he came out looking better than when they had arrived. Things were finally starting to turn around.

She heard the call of birds coming in from the east and noticed a flock of colorful parrots flying low in the sky above her. They were stunning with their jewel-tone feathers: emerald-green wings, topaz-yellow bodies, ruby-red throats, and a crest of amethyst feathers atop their heads. Emily had spied the migratory birds flying overhead before, but never so close before. It was a rare, delightful sight.

"My friends!" she greeted the birds as they flew overhead and continued westward. The fashion-conscious woman always had an affinity for the parrots and their stunning, bold colors. Emily watched them go and as the birds disappeared beyond the horizon, the barkeep headed toward Pierre's to grab some groceries for the week. However, there was another magnificently colored flyer well behind its flock that slammed into the front window of her house. A few of its emerald feathers disbursed in an explosion of green. Stunned, Emily quickly ran to the bird, crumpled in a heap in the flower box.

"Oh no! You poor thing!" the woman cooed to calm the creature. Gingerly, she cradled the parrot in her arms to examine the damage. "Your wing's broken," the sapphire-haired woman observed, rocking the bird soothingly. "Oh, you're a bit different than the others, aren't you?" she said quietly, curving her lips upward in a small smile. "Just like me…"

"Don't worry. I'll nurse you back to health, little one. Everything will be alright." Emily took the bird inside and bandaged the broken wing tightly to its body so that it would mend properly. After offering the creatures some water and a bowl of seeds, she quickly put together a perch for the parrot and smiled at her work as he immediately took to it. Emily made sure he had plenty of places to hop around safely, since the parrot would be unable to fly for a while.

"I think this will do nicely," she thought aloud, seeing her new companion hop from ledge to ledge to get around her room. Emily wished she could give the bird more freedom, but Haley would never agree to have a wild animal loose in their home. Emily fought the urge to name her new friend. It would be disrespectful to treat the injured bird like a pet. These parrots were not domesticated, and a once-wild bird would not be happy in captivity, especially without a flock.

"This is only temporary," Emily assured her new feathered friend. She stroked the parrot's head soothingly and the creature leaned in to catch her fingernail and scratch its head in a particular spot. The red-clad woman smiled. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need, but I'll be sure to set you free once your wing heals, as long as it's an appropriate time of year." It would be cruel to let it loose in the winter, after all. "So at most a year, okay?"

Whether or not the bird actually understood, it bobbed its head up and down as it tried to calculate the distance it required to hop over to the next perch. Emily grinned. "I have to go to work now, but you make yourself at home, okay?"

Squawking, the parrot stuck the landing and settled happily on the spherical top of the post on Emily's bed frame. Emily took that as a signal of understanding between them and shut the door behind her. "I bet Shane would love to hear about my new friend!" she thought out loud. Perhaps now she could contribute more to the conversation when Shane spoke about Charlie, or the new breed of chicken he hoped to obtain with the next brood. The sapphire-hair woman beamed at the idea of their next conversation.

* * *

As Penny returned home to the trailer after picking up some snacks at The Stardrop Saloon for her hangout with Maru today, she stood in the doorway, feeling a bit crestfallen at the state her mother left their dwelling. "Ughh… It's so dirty in here," the woman moaned in annoyance, eyeing the pile of dirty dishes her mother left in the sink, the clothes scattered about the floor, and the overflowing trash can in the corner. For a moment, the mess was overwhelming, but the brunette rolled up her sleeves to get to work.

A gentle rap came from the door and Maru entered the trailer, greeting Penny as she removed her shoes at the door. "Thanks for letting me come over for a bit," her best friend said appreciatively.

"Of course, it's your birthday!" Penny replied excitedly. But the mood was quickly damped when the teacher realized that Maru was now witness to the mess in her home. "Um… Sorry that it's such a mess. I was running a bit late this morning and only just now was about to clean up."

Maru brushed it off, unbothered by the clutter. "Oh, it's fine. I'll help you!" she offered.

"You'll help me? You really mean it?" Penny smiled. After brief consideration, she pointed Maru toward the table, where the mess was least offensive. "Okay, you can get started over there. I'll clean the kitchen."

Maru scooped up the clothes off the floor and put them in a neat pile on the window bench while Penny scrubbed the dishes. The bespectacled woman began to wipe down the surface of the table when the front door opened. "This isn't so bad," Maru assured her friend. "And cleaning is usually easier with more people."

"Yes, it's nice to have company!" Penny agreed, scraping off a caked-on chunk of dried food off a particularly soiled plate. "Especially with things you don't like doing, it makes everything more pleasant than it would be alone." She smiled, setting the newly cleaned dish in the drying rack. Cleanliness made the teacher feel better about living in the trailer, even if she still felt self-conscious about the "trailer-trash" stereotype applied to her.

The two friends chatted back and forth about little things going on in their lives when they heard the door open. Immediately things began to go south. "Whaddya think you're doing?!" Pam roared angrily when she spied Maru scrubbing the tabletop. She stomped her foot. "Stop it! I had everything just the way I like it!"

The schoolteacher confronted her mother. "Mom, the house is a total mess," she insisted. "Maru and I were just trying to tidy things up a bit so we could spend some time in each other's company without having to worry about it."

Her nose wrinkled as she caught a strong whiff of alcohol. "Were you at the saloon just now? You smell like beer…" she observed with disappointment, but not surprise.

Pam threw her arms up in the air defensively. "It's none of your damn business where I go!"

"It is my business!" Penny shot back, her face flushing with frustration and tears welling up in her emerald eyes. "I don't want you destroying yourself!" Her hand flew to her chest and rested above her heart. "Don't you realize that your choices have an effect on me? Stop being so selfish!" the young woman demanded.

"Selfish?" the drunk woman spat. "I put a roof over your head and clothes on your back and you call me selfish!? You ungrateful little…" the short woman's fist balled at her side and she smacked the wall of the trailer, knocking off an old photograph from the wall.

Pam sighed heavily, regaining some of her composure when she saw Maru's wide-eyed expression. "You'd better go," the mother told her daughter's friend. "I'm sorry you had to see this, kid."

Penny frowned pointedly at her mother but smiled sadly at her guest. "I'll meet up with you again later, Maru," she assured her best friend. "I know this isn't how you wanted to spend your birthday." Penny shot her mother another look and felt a little justified when her mother cringed at her words. At least her mother had some sense of shame.

Once the two made plans for later that afternoon and Maru was safely escorted outside, Penny returned inside to continue her argument with her mother in private. But before she could begin, Pam started. "She's a nice young lady…" Penny's mother stated quietly, her brown eyes not leaving the floor. "But I don't want you tellin' others to clean up my house! It's embarrassing!" the woman exclaimed. For a moment, Penny thought her mother might feel a bit ashamed of their living situation as well. "You understand?"

"...Yes, mother," Penny replied meekly. The teacher felt a bit guilty for being angry at her mother, the woman who stuck around to raise her. Her father just up and left, after all. Perhaps it really made things more difficult for her mother now that her brunette hair reminded Pam of the man that abandoned her. But, even still, it was not as if Penny had been a bad daughter. She nursed her mother's hangovers and contributed to their finances all the time. The teacher sighed and retreated to her room to read for a bit before heading over to Maru's house. At least on Mountain Road, no parents would be yelling at their daughters today.

* * *

Violet had been grateful that her crab pots yielded both a crab and a lobster today. In fact, when she opened the last one and found trash, she could not even be mad about it. She had her fresh seafood to make maki today. The farmer just hoped that Sebastian liked it as much as he said he did via text the night before.

"Maybe I should invite him over a little early to hang out?" she asked herself. Violet was positive he had finished the manga she lent him by now. They could sit and read together.

 _Or Sebastián could stay over a little later…_ a familiar voice teased in her ear. She blushed, though luckily only the shellfish were around to witness her embarrassment at her own thoughts. Of course, the voice of bad influence in her head would be Bex! The farmer huffed indignantly and shoved bait into the traps before sinking them back into the shallows. With the crustaceans on-hand, the young woman made her way back toward the farmhouse.

"There's really no harm in inviting a friend over," she assured herself, fishing her phone out of her pocket. ***Hey, I got lucky today. Both a crab and a lobster!***

***All for me, right?***

Violet scoffed at his audacity even if she was confident Sebastian was only teasing her. ***You wish!*** She continued. ***Anyway, I'm probably going to make some food for snacks tonight. You're welcome to hang out and keep me company.*** The pastel-haired woman sent an immediate follow-up. She did not want to seem clingy. ***Or read. Reading is fine, too***

***I may take you up on that. It'll take me a little longer to get to your place with the synth, though.***

Right, he had to lug an instrument all the way out to the farm. ***You're welcome to keep it here so you don't have to keep carrying it around for band practice. I have a feeling we'll be having them at my place more often anyway.*** That part was more influenced by Sam's mom. Jodi seemed to love the idea of us being well away from her house for jam sessions and Sam's trying to stay on her good side.

 ***That would be awesome.*** Violet did not expect the next sentence, however. ***Though I guess that means you'll have to see me fumbling a bit more during practices. I won't look nearly as cool***

"Pft!" Violet stifled a giggle, remembering how easily Sebastian mimicked the tune Sam played from her phone the last time he came to practice. ***Oh, please. Your hands are very talented!***

Violet paled when she realized she had already sent the message. "Oh, no… that could totally be a dirty joke!" she screamed in horror. The farmer tapped her head on her wall repeatedly in angst. She closed her eyes, waiting for the worst possible response. Her phone beeped, indicating a reply.

Gritting her teeth, she opened one eye to read what Sebastian sent. ***I hope they live up to your expectations tonight.*** Winking face. ***I'll see you soon.***

Violet became crimson, her fingers gently touching her lips as she exhaled slowly. "Oh…"

* * *

Sebastian cursed at himself for being so flirty, but Violet had started it. He just returned the gesture in kind, right? "Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," he chanted to himself like a mantra, gathering up his bag and his synth. Then again… He glanced at his phone. While Violet had not responded to continue the flirty, she had not condemned it, either. The programmer gritted his teeth, preparing himself for the worst as he headed for Fairy Rose Farm.

When he arrived, however, he found Violet in her kitchen wearing an apron and wielding an axe. "What the hell?"

"It's to kill them humanely before I stick them in the pot!" Violet explained, trying to take aim at the wriggling lobster on the countertop. Sebastian spied the already halved crab on a separate plate. "But this bastard won't stop squirming even after being in the freezer for a bit!" she complained about the large lobster that thrust its tail to propel itself every which way.

Sebastian grabbed a fork and pinned the creature down as best he could. "There, now go for it," he ordered. Violet swung decisively at the cross on its head, killing it instantly. The farmer sighed with relief while the synth player looked on in horror. "Who knew you were so metal to kill your own crustaceans, Violet," he joked with a nervous laugh. It was a little unnerving to see her wield a lethal weapon, even if it was against their food.

Violet wiped her brow with her apron. "Well, they don't just magically come that way," she replied. "Besides, it always tastes best fresh!"

The black-clad man could not argue that logic and rolled up his sleeves. "What can I do?" he asked.

Her dark blue eyes stared at his arms for a moment, wide and focused. "Are… they too blindingly pale?" he asked nervously, holding his forearms in front of his body self-consciously.

Violet cleared her throat and her cheeks colored slightly. "No, I just…" Her face contorted slightly in an adorable way as her mouth twitched from smile to frown and back again. "I appreciate the offer to help, okay?" she shouted, shutting her eyes, and handing him the sheets of nori, a bamboo mat, and a bowl of pre-made rice. "I-I'm falling a bit behind on getting ready for everyone to be here. I wanted to feed everyone something delicious!"

Sebastian nodded and Violet walked him through the instructions to prepare the outer portion of the maki while she boiled, extracted, and then added a few secret ingredients to the mixture of crab and lobster meat. He smiled at how natural it felt to be cooking together and to hear the soft hum Violet produced as she worked intently on the food.

The farmer filled him in on the details from the day before. "Between Abigail and Sam making sickening eyes at each other, we actually got a fair bit done," she explained, dolloping the shellfish meat in its proper place so that Sebastian could roll it. "Keep it tight," she encouraged him. The young man corrected his near-mistake and kept the tension as he tucked one side beneath the other and began to form the proper shape.

She beamed at him. "It looks gorgeous!" she praised with a happy laugh. "I'll slice it up for you," she offered, grabbing a well-sharpened knife from a drawer. The blade cut through the layers like butter and Violet served up the maki to her friend.

"I'll wait to eat these until after we've made the rest of them," he said, much to Violet's chagrin.

"Yeah, okay," she relented, the disappointment in her voice obvious. "You have a point."

Together, the duo quickly churned out another five maki rolls. They decided to test the extra two before Sam and Abigail arrived. Sebastian took a bite and his mouth instantly filled with saliva and he tasted the heavenly dish. "Oh, fuck," he moaned. "That's so damn good."

Violet popped a piece into her mouth as well, her cheeks full like a chipmunk. She covered her mouth with her hand, slightly embarrassed. The sounds that came from her mouth were like his, Sebastian imagined, but for some reason he found it incredibly sexy. "Oh, yeah, we did awesome…" she agreed once she had swallowed the mouthful, offering her hand in a high-five. It produced a solid, satisfying sound. "We are on a roll today!" Violet giggled. "And you're right, you are good with your hands!" she exclaimed in awe.

"Well, well, well," Sam cackled from the doorway, Abigail simpering behind him with a large bag to carry the largest of her drums awkwardly fastened to her back. "And here we were thinking we had just walked in on some pillow talk." He shrugged, feigning disappointment. "It's just food porn, apparently."

Abigail had to twist herself at an odd angle to get the drums through the door. "At least we know the snacks are good, right?"

Sebastian and Violet both blushed profusely, but Sebastian was more used to his best friend's teasing and recovered more quickly. "No need to be so jealous," he stated proudly. "Come join us!"

It was then Violet chimed in unexpectedly. "We committed murder and hid the bodies in the food," she added with an unnervingly saccharine voice.

"Ugh, I'm suddenly not hungry…" Abigail's face greened slightly at the way Violet phrased things. Intellectually, she knew it meant there was some sort of meat in the maki, but the nature of the words churned her stomach at the vague implication of cannibalism. "No meat pies for me, thanks."

"It's only maki," Violet grinned innocently, picking up a piece with her chopsticks and offering it to Abigail. "You like spicy food, right?"

The amethyst-haired woman looked doubtful. "I already ate, thanks," Abigail said, declining the food with a suspicious eyebrow still raised. "Besides, there are other snacks that specifically look vegetarian, just in case," she said, playing along with the joke.

Sam did not seem to share Abigail's cautionary self-preservation. "I'll take that bite, V!" the blond said, swooping in with his mouth to snatch the tasty morsel. He bit into an empty chopstick, however. Confused, the guitarist looked around to find that Sebastian had stolen it with his own chopsticks.

"Dude!" the denim-wearing musician complained. Violet offered the blond his own plate, so the injustice did not last long.

Sebastian shrugged, not feeling at all guilty. "Too slow, fam," he said nonchalantly. Violet shot the synth player a look and he wondered what she could be thinking.

Abigail rolled her light blue eyes as she did the last part of set-up for her drums. "Let's just get started, I want to make sure we get that bridge part in the middle right this time," she insisted. "It's a little tricky on my end and I need to get it right if we're ever going to play in front of a crowd."

The Saiyan-haired guitarist shoved a few chips into his mouth a took a swig of Joja Cola before joining his girlfriend. "Ready when you are!" he proclaimed, strumming a power chord.

* * *

Maru stood outside on the patio of the house, setting up her telescope under the starry canopy of the night sky. The young scientist was surprised to hear footsteps approaching and looked up to see Alex jogging up the mountainside toward her. "Alex! I'm surprised to see you here so late."

"Well, granny refused to let me leave until she finished the cake when she found out I planned on coming here to wish you a happy birthday," he spiky-haired brunet chuckled guilty, holding up a decorated cardboard box to reveal the treat. "It's a strawberry rhubarb cake."

The young scientist grinned with delight. "Oh, I'll be sure to thank her at dinner next week!" Maru exclaimed, accepting the dessert, and scooping a small sample of the icing with her pinky. "It's delicious!" the woman praised. "It's a little late to enjoy it this evening, but I'll be sure to have some tomorrow." Maru set the cake inside her room quickly before coming back out to the patio.

"The night sky looks amazing right now," the bespectacled woman stated dreamily.

Alex craned his neck to admire the view as well. "Yeah, I guess they are," he admitted with a shrug. "I don't really stargaze all that often." He leaned against the house, "It kinda makes you feel… small. They're so far away."

The astronomical enthusiast smiled, as if she had a secret. "I can fix that." After making a few adjustments with her telescope she waved him toward her. "Come over here, I want to show you something."

Sauntering over, Alex stood beside Maru. She tapped on the eyepiece lightly to indicate to her friend where to look. "Here, take a peek," she instructed. "What do you see?"

Even with the tripod, the jock had to bend down significantly. He was silent for a moment, then said. "I dunno, but it looks really cool!"

"It's Saturn!" Maru reported excitedly. "You can tell by the rings of ice that surround the planet," she told him, pointing them out. She continued, "It's named after the Roman god of wealth and agriculture and where the word 'Saturday' comes from - ' _Saturni dies_ ,' or 'Saturn's day.'"

Alex grimaced. "You sure know a lot about everything, Glasses. It's kind of impressive."

"I have a thirst for knowledge, what can I say?" Maru replied smoothly. She grabbed her telescope and redirected it toward the south. "I've decided what to call you, by the way."

Alex looked puzzled. "What to call me?" he repeated.

"Your nickname, I mean," Maru clarified, adjusting the focus of the telescope, and testing the view in the eyepiece. "I'm going to call you Sirius…" she announced confidently.

"Serious?"

Maru nodded and gestured for Alex to use the eyepiece of the instrument again. "After Sirius A. The brightest star in the sky and half of my favorite binary star system…"

Alex blinked, "Yeah, that is really bright," he agreed, seeing the bright light emanating from the star in question. He stood up and looked up at the sky without the aid of the telescope. "You can see it normally up in the sky - no telescope needed."

His companion's smile widened. "I figured if I'm going to know someone famous, he ought to have a cool nickname, right?" Maru teased the jock, elbowing his ribs gently.

He tugged at his letter jacket self-consciously. "Well, yeah, but people might not think of the star first, you know." Maru could tell that he was cognizant about his own misunderstanding.

The woman paused for a moment. "How about Sir, short for Sirius? That way people will probably ask what it means, and you can explain without people making the wrong assumption." Maru chuckled. "Besides, it sounds the same as 'sear' and you can make your own jokes about it."

"Like I sear the competition!" Alex replied with a wide, enthusiastic grin. "Or searing hot!" Maru noticed his demeanor change drastically and she returned the smile. At least she knew how to make Alex feel more confident in himself. She was proud of him for not outright rejecting the nickname despite its "nerdy" origin, either.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Maru sighed wistfully, turning her gaze toward the heavens. "By the time any of these stars are visited, you and I will be long gone…"

Alex tilted his head upward. "It takes that long to get there, huh?"

"Well, if our galaxy were a gridball field…" she began to explain, using a NASA-approved scale that Alex would best understand. "The sun would be a dime in the end zone, and our planet would be a grain of sand on the 2-yard line. Saturn, for example, would be a little thicker than the width of a dime at the 19-yard line."

The future gridball star considered the comparison. "We're just a grain of sand?" he replied in both awe and horror.

"If you're talking about people, we're less than that, since we live on the planet," Maru explained. "I guess that's the trouble with being human, huh?"

"That's kind of scary to think about…" Alex admitted anxiously. "It's like we don't matter."

Maru shrugged, messing with the settings on her telescope. "That's one way of looking at it." Her warm eyes rested on the man standing beside her. "Instead, I choose to think that being such a tiny speck in the universe gives us the infinite possibility to learn and grow. Our boundaries are practically limitless!" She rested a hand on Alex's shoulder. "And that's why I respect your drive and determination so much. You're not afraid to reach for the stars!"

If the scientist did not know better, she could have sworn she saw a brief expression of bashfulness on his face. "Thanks, Maru. It's nice to know someone other than my granny believes in me," he replied appreciatively.

"I would not have started working with you if I didn't believe in your ability," she confessed casually. Whether it was imagined or real, the overall-clad was confident that Alex appreciated the help and support she provided. There was something she wanted to know, however.

"Alex, um…" Maru averted her gaze briefly to both signal and hide some of her nervousness, the light from the stars reflecting off her red-rimmed glasses.

When Alex's eyes finally met hers, something about the softness of his gaze caught her off-guard. "Never mind…" she said, backpedaling from her initial plan. Now was not a good time to do something like this. She changed the subject immediately. "Here, let me show you something else…"

"Sure, thing," Alex agreed, but he held out a hand to cover the eyepiece of the telescope for a moment. "But before that, I wanna give you your birthday present."

Maru blinked behind her glasses. "My birthday present?" she repeated questioningly.

The jock laughed. "Yeah, you know, those gifts your friends give you on the day that celebrates you were born," he told her sarcastically, handing her a small box. It was beautifully wrapped in a shade of decorative purple paper that matched the shirts she always wore. "Happy birthday," he added as Maru accepted the gift and opened it.

"It's an electrician's tool kit!" she announced excitedly. "How did you know I needed a new wire stripper?"

Alex shuffled his feet on the stones of the patio. "I uh…" his hand reached for the back of his neck, rubbing it out of nervous habit. "I asked your dad."

Maru tried to withhold her smirk but was unsuccessful. "Oh, no…" she chuckled. "What did he do to you?"

Alex frowned and shoved his hands in the pockets of his letter jacket. "I just wanted to make sure I got something you wanted, and he acted super weird - like I knocked you up or something. Jeez!" He removed one hand from his outerwear and ran it through his gelled hair in agitation. "Can't everyone see that I'm focused right now! I don't have time for that kind of stuff anyway!"

Maru could not explain why she felt some pang of relief when she heard those words. Perhaps because they - at least in part - answered the question she planned on asking him earlier. "Don't worry about my dad, he's just really over-protective." The tinkerer pulled her friend into a hug. "Thanks for the birthday present, I love it!"

Alex flushed slightly at the unexpected physical contact but returned the hug. "It's the least I can do with all the help you've been giving me…" he admitted. "I mean, I've even noticed a bit of an improvement in my stamina," he added with an over-exaggerated flirty wink.

The woman broke away from the hug to laugh. "Don't let my dad overhear jokes like that," Maru warned. "He'll get the wrong idea!"

"Who said I was joking?" the athlete countered with a flash of his pearly whites. "You've seen my running times!" Maru noticed something change in Alex's face, but she could not quite determine what. Perhaps it was just the starlight overhead.


	15. Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet wants to die of embarrassment. Marnie and Lewis clash verbally. Abigail and Sam enjoy a morning together. Zach arrives in town.

The rest of the band practice the night before had gone well. There were a few choice words involved for the first two hours, but Abigail finally hammered out how to successfully keep track of the beat with the drums and bass pedal simultaneously when necessary. Sam made a few improvisations that actually worked well enough that he decided to make them a regular part of the song and after a few tweaks, Sebastian adjusted the frequency of his sounds to the point at which they harmonized well with the others.

Violet offered to let the gang keep their equipment at the farmhouse, since she had the space and they had decided as a group that the farmhouse was the ideal location to play as loudly and for as long as they wanted. Abigail, while grateful for not having to haul her drums back and forth, realized this meant that she would only be able to practice with a drum pad at home.

When Robin came by after finishing the cabin half-way through band practice, the ginger traded both sets of keys to the new guest house for the jars of sample hops for Maru. The carpenter left then, adding a "You kids have fun now," with a wink as she exited the house. So, while Violet no longer needed to make a trip to the mountain to give Maru the mutant hops, now she had a new task.

As Sam and Abigail were leaving, Violet began to follow them out to hide the new guest cabin keys where her brother could easily find them in case he decided to drop by at an inconvenient time. He never did specify when he would visit, after all. The guitarist snatched the keys away. "Abigail and I can do that for you," he assured the farmer.

"It's the least we can do since you're letting us invade your house whenever we need to get the band together," Abigail said, patting Violet on the shoulder. "You two just relax and we'll catch you at the Luau tomorrow," she added with a wink, though Violet could not determine to which of them it was directed.

When the couple closed the door and were well out of sight beyond the soft glow of the porch light, Sebastian simply stated, "Congrats, you just handed them the keys to their own personal Love Shack."

The pastel-haired woman blushed at the blunt accusation. "What do you mean?"

Sebastian began to put the books he had borrowed back on the bookshelf with care. "You just gave them the key to an uninhabited cabin well away from any other residences. Those two can hardly keep their hands off of each other most of the time, but they both live with their parents, so they probably don't get a lot of time to be actually _alone…_ " he voice trailed off as he picked up the next few volumes of the manga series Violet had loaned him.

The young woman was pleased Sebastian was eager to continue her favorite series, so it took her a while longer to process his words regarding their friends' intentions for helping her. Violet reddened when she realized he was probably right. "Well, it's not like _I_ planned on living there, so I don't really mind, I just... " the cultivator cleared her throat, embarrassed by even the idea of having a conversation about it with the couple. "I think I'll just feign ignorance and we can all just live and let live."

"Until your brother shows up," Sebastian snorted, casually going back to the kitchen table for more snacks.

"Oh, he deserves whatever happens," Violet indicated decisively. Her friend seated himself on the couch, already beginning to read as she continued. "By the way," she began. "I've been meaning to ask you about something…"

That got his attention. Sebastian's dark eyes left the comic book in his hand and focused on the farmer. "Oh, yeah?"

Violet was not sure how to broach the subject, so she decided to be direct. "Uh… did you do anything to my crops that day you tried all those spells? I have some hops and blueberries that definitely have some magical nonsense going on…"

Sebastian perked up at this news. "The only plant of yours I touched was that sapling," he admitted hesitantly, wondering if the amateur arborist was still upset about it.

The young woman waved off that answer. "I'm not talking about the pomegranate tree," she replied dismissively. "Besides, that's mostly recovered now." Violet almost wished she had not given Robin the samples so she could show Sebastian. It was too dark to go out and examine them properly now. "Are you sure you didn't do anything to the watering can? I thought maybe you had refilled it for me…"

Eyebrows furrowed, "I suppose I did refill the watering can using magic," he answered sheepishly. "I kinda felt bad for ditching you so suddenly that night…"

Violet's eyes lit up at the news. "So they're probably magic somehow!" the farmer exclaimed. "I knew it!"

"Maybe they'll have a cool status effect," the sorcerer smiled. Violet was pleased Sebastian seemed curious about the potentially magical crops. "Do you mind if I take some with me to show Krobus?" the rookie magician requested. "He might know more about what could have happened…"

The flower-hued hair on Violet's head bobbed as she nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! I'll have to wait to get a few more tomorrow, though…"

Sebastian nodded thoughtfully but seemed distracted as he approached the remaining snacks on the kitchen table. It was then Violet noticed that her joke about stuffing the evidence of lobster murder in the snacks had successfully deterred Abigail away from the maki for the rest of the night. There was one roll left!

Since Sebastian had eaten three of them over the course of the evening, Violet shouted, "That one's mine!" The programmer did not respect the proclamation however, and immediately shoved one of the pieces in his mouth. True to her warning the day before, Violet bit Sebastian's hand in retaliation as he reached for the next one. The look of shock on his face was priceless, but not as priceless as when she parroted his own words back to him. "It's every man for himself when it comes to sushi…" It had been a sweet victory.

Or at least, so Violet had thought… While she had possession of the plate, Sebastian kept jabbing at the six remaining slices with his chopsticks, forcing the Violet on the defensive to swat his hand away. But the woman realized too late that it was a distraction. While Violet was preoccupied with the chopstick offensive, the synth-player snagged a piece with his free hand.

"Hey!" Violet snapped, both with her teeth and her voice, but it was all in vain as Sebastian shoved it down with a cackle.

"Oh, this means WAR!" the pastel-haired woman declared, setting the plate down and bowling the programmer over onto his stomach, sitting on his back at his center of gravity and pinning him to the ground. Sprawled on the floor, the hoodie-wearing man could not reach the plate, but Violet could, so the farmer helped herself to two pieces before she suddenly the world flipped.

Only this time, the young woman found herself on her back, her friend straddling her hips, with her arms pinned at the wrists by Sebastian's left hand while he reached for his prize with the right. "All's fair," he chuckled as Violet struggled beneath him, grunting, and hissing her displeasure. She could only watch in anguish as he consumed the delicious seafood snack. Sebastian's dark eyes danced with delight between the last piece of the rice-covered roll and Violet as he plucked it off the plate.

"You bastard!" Violet roared indignantly, baring her teeth. "You're just taunting me now!" As Sebastian merely laughed in response, the woman realized that not only had the synth player denied her the last maki roll, but also that she was literally at the dark-haired man's mercy. Her cobalt eyes widened as he smirked down at her in the way that made her heartbeat flutter.

Sebastian lowered his face close to hers, so that their noses were nearly touching. Violet saw a glint in his obsidian eyes that she had not noticed before. "Maybe just a little," he conceded in a low voice, with that cocky grin still plastered to his face. Violet could feel her cheeks flush with color as she felt his hot breath on her neck. Involuntarily, she reacted with a small, gasping moan. Violet had not expected it and from Sebastian's actions, it caught him off-guard as well. Even he went a little pink in the face.

The hoodie-clad man promptly dropped the last bit of maki roll into Violet's open mouth and hopped to his feet. "I should head home now if I want to wake up in time for the Luau tomorrow," he said quickly, grabbing his bag before making a quick exit. "See you then, Violet."

It was a while before the young woman regained her composure to process what just happened. She chewed the maki thoughtfully as she took in a few deep breaths. Violet had never been so mortified and aroused at the same time. "Oooooh, no…" the farmer exhaled shakily, slapping her face with her hands to make sure it had not been a dream. For a moment, Violet had forgotten all about the sushi. Instead, she had focused on Sebastian's eyes, how soft his lips looked, how it felt to feel his body on top of her. Violet blushed at her own train of thought. "Stop!" she shouted to no one in particular.

 _He must think I'm a freak!_ Violet screamed internally. _No wonder he wanted to get out of here so quickly._ It took ages for the farmer to calm down enough to fall asleep after that.

* * *

Marnie had already been awake for hours, trying to scrub the giant cauldron that would hold the communal soup from the grime and dust it accumulated in the barn over the last year. Luckily, since the rancher kept it covered, the layer of dirt and stray straw were kept to a minimum.

Using the sprayer on her hose, the rancher rinsed the large container clean, the dirty water sloshing out from the vessel. "You're only now cleaning that up?" Lewis sighed in exasperation as he approached. "The cauldron needs to be down at the beach ASAP! The Governor will be here in a few hours and it takes ages for that soup to heat up properly!"

"It'll get done, Lewis," Marnie countered, fighting an intense urge to spray the Mayor with the hose. "Like I do _every_ year," she reminded the elected official. "I usually get clear this old thing out earlier, but I've been busy with other things."

Lewis' grey mustache twitched. "Ah, I suppose things have been different since the 'accident,' keeping an eye on an unemployed drunkard."

Marnie could feel her blood pressure rising, "Shane is not a drunkard," she hissed. The woman wanted to keep her cool. The Mayor always accused her of being too emotional, especially in her personal relationships. "It _was_ an accident," the rancher insisted, referring to Shane's fall from the cliffs. "I don't need care for your condescension, you old prune." The brunette tossed her braid out of the way and rolled up the sleeves of her dress to avoid getting it wet as she pulled the cauldron to an upright position. "And not that it's any of your business, but Shane is on medical leave, so he is technically still employed."

"I hardly call him 'clean' after a few days' sobriety, Marnie," the Mayor responded, tweaking the end of his facial hair. "And there's no need to get into petty name-calling because I'm being realistic."

The livestock seller frowned deeply. "I'll call you whatever I please, since you still haven't apologized for what you said at the Flower Dance and you keep wagging that disrespectful tongue of yours."

Lewis balked at the accusation. "I see no reason to apologize for speaking the truth, Marnie. I can't help that you refuse to see what's right in front of you," he snapped, adjusting his cap. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to go greet the Governor soon." His dark eyes rested on the soup cauldron. "I hope your sour mood won't affect the taste this year."

Marnie shook with rage but declined to answer. Instead, she stomped off in the opposite direction to fetch Shane to help her load the cauldron into the truck to take to the beach. Little did she know, both her niece and nephew hid behind the bar door and heard the whole encounter.

Jas' large eyes looked up at her godfather. "Shane, the Mayor isn't very nice to Aunt Marnie, is he?"

Shane's usual glower deepened. "No, he's not, Jas." Then his lips tugged back into a smile as he crouched down to his goddaughter's level and draped an arm around her tiny shoulders. "What do you say we teach the old geezer not to mess with our family?" He leaned in conspiratorially. "But we've gotta keep Marnie out of it so Lewis can't try and blame her if we're caught, okay?"

Jas beamed at Shane, her face bright with excitement. "Let's do it, Shane!" she giggled. "What should we do?"

"You bet I do," the stubbly man smiled ear to ear. "Jas, do you know where those silly purple 'jester' shorts went?"

* * *

As she tended to her garden, Violet did her best to keep her thoughts away from the events of the night before. Instead, she tried to keep her focus on her haul of fresh produce from her fields today. The young woman was especially excited for her first melon and tomato harvests. The fruits looked beautifully ripe and healthy. It was as if seeing the literal fruits of her labor gave Violet an extra boost of energy.

She smiled as she separated out the crops she would sell versus the ones she would keep for herself. Recipe ideas danced in her head as she brought her harvest inside the house for safekeeping while she finished the stone path to Zach's guest house. The last thing she wanted was for the crows to steal all her produce.

The path itself was already clear, so it was only a matter of laying out the stone in a functional, yet decorative manner to keep the weeds at bay. While part of Violet was tempted to make the trail especially bumpy and filled with potential hazards, the woman did not want to provoke her brother any further than she inevitably had already by moving the location of the cabin. It took a few hours to get it just right, but by the end she was happy with her work.

Violet enjoyed keeping the farmland that she was not using a well-wooded area. It provided plenty of shade, trees to tap, and the groves would continue to produce more trees that she could use for lumber when she required it. Besides, the young woman realized that since she moved to Pelican Town, she often slept well and deeply. It was almost as if she could feel the life in the forest pulsing with a soft, quiet rhythm that lulled her to sleep each night.

Satisfied with a job well-done, Violet decided to head to town to sell her normal crops. The blood red hops she kept on the vine for now. Hopefully, she would get some answers from Maru soon, but the farmer did not except those results immediately. Maru not only had a part-time job, but she had a lot of on-going personal projects between helping Demetrius in the lab, working with Alex on his physical training, and cataloging with the pictures her drone gathered. Well, that last one was no longer an option. The drone was lost to the sea the night Shane fell from the cliffs. Perhaps Maru would build a new one.

In any case, Violet did not want to take advantage of someone doing free research on her potentially toxic plant. Briefly, the granger considered visiting Maru to wish her a belated happy birthday, but that would mean potentially bumping into Sebastian in front of his family members when Violet had no guarantee either of them could keep their cool after last night.

She sighed, dreading the decision. Wait, hadn't he mentioned a Luau? Violet realized she had not checked her mail in a few days. Sure enough, there were a few envelopes enclosed, one of which was a reminder for the annual Luau at the beach for tomorrow with yesterday's date printed on it. "How much do people get into the theme?" she wondered aloud. Surely people did not wear coconuts and palm skirts and there was no way Violet would have time to prepare all of that on such short notice anyway.

 _Hmmm, a swimsuit would probably be expected, though… Just in case people want to swim or do some watersports._ Even if nothing ended up happening, she could always wear her swimwear underneath normal clothing. Nothing wrong with that. Violet ventured back into the house to find the appropriate attire. Digging through the back of the drawer where Violet knew she had unpacked her swimsuits, she instead found a note attached to a bikini:

_No one-piece for you, conejita. ¡Muestra tu cuerpo de granjera caliente!_

_- Bex ♡_

"Of course, you stole my regular swimsuit, puta," the farmer cursed to the air. Bex was long gone and Violet had not noticed that her best friend had messed with things when they unpacked together. The pastel-haired woman groaned. Who knew what other havoc the cosmetologist had caused during her visit that Violet had yet to discover? That was a sweep of the house that Violet would have to make later. She did not have time to do it all today.

Violet held up the light tangerine-colored bikini. Bex had thought of the color when she picked it out, clearly. And while it was a strapless top, it seemed pretty sturdy in its construction, no shoddy sewing or thin material that might cause a wardrobe malfunction. The bottom did not expose too much. There was even a matching green sarong with flowers the same color as the swimsuit. "Fine, you fashion fascist," she growled, making mental note that she would have to get Bex back somehow.

The young woman quickly changed into the swimsuit, wearing the sarong over the bottom half and a white v-neck t-shirt on top. Donning her grandfather's straw hat, Violet looked in the mirror and decided her look was complete. Now to figure out what to contribute to the communal soup...

* * *

A dark, sleek car with tinted windows rolled up to the bus stop of Pelican Town and parked on a grassless patch of earth just off the road. Out stepped a tall, blond man clad in an expensive suit. He exhaled deeply, lowering his sunglasses from his green eyes down the bridge of his nose. "Well, this town has gone downhill already," he observed with a frown. From the state of the old, grey bus, which now sported old leaves and moss, the transport had clearly not been in service for a while.

Pushing his shades back to their proper position, he grabbed his weekend bag from the trunk and clicked the "lock" button on his car key. The vehicle chirped to signal its security had engaged and he walked westward toward his sister's property. Whether or not the man brought his sister home to NuNu City like their mother wanted, someone was going to be angry with him by the end of all this. It was the curse of being the oldest, he supposed. Dad certainly was not going to be of any help. "Let's get this over with…" he muttered to himself.

* * *

Abigail grinned happily as she rested her head on the pillow, studying Sam's sleeping face. The light poured into the room gently from the far window, illuminating the room in a soft yellow glow. For once, her boyfriend's hair was not perfectly styled and it fell softly around his face, framing it as he snored quietly.

All that pent-up frustration from over half a season of teasing touches and secretly sneaking into each other's rooms at night had been released. She sighed dreamily, knowing that she could relax. They did not have to worry about their parents, Vincent, or anyone else walking in on them.

Abigail felt the warm smoothness of their bare skin brushing against one another under the blanket. It made her hungry for more, but she did not want to wake Sam. He had earned a full night's rest in her opinion. So, instead her fingertips brushed the hair from his face so she could better trace Sam's features with her bright blue eyes, affectionately tracing and burning the image into her memory.

After a while, the blond stirred, sleepily opening his green eyes. "Morning, sexy," he purred, pulling her into an embrace for a passionate kiss. Abigail could feel his lips stretching into a wide grin each time their lips met. She was not sure how long it was before they surfaced for air. "Wanna go for another round?" he asked with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows. "I'll let you be on top this time…"

Abigail pushed him over, pinning his shoulders down. "Let me?" he repeated questioningly. "That's not how I remember things…"

The blond rested his hands on his girlfriend's hips, gazing up at her with a goofy grin and a shrug. "Either way, I think my friend has recovered by now…"

A twitch beneath her made Abigail realize Sam was not all talk. Abigail could not help but laugh as she leaned over him and he held her close.

The amorous couple was too distracted to notice the footsteps on the porch or the turn of the doorknob as the intended occupant entered the cabin. "I didn't realize this town welcomed newcomers with a threesome," a male voice chuckled. "But that's the kind of hospitality I can get into!"

* * *

Violet selected her contribution to the communal soup for the Luau. She still had a beautiful hot pepper from her most recent harvest. A little kick on a soup was a welcome addition in the farmer's opinion, and if this soup was as big as Violet was led to believe, it should not make things too spicy for those who were not as enthusiastic about the flavor. As she stepped outside, the young woman spied a familiar face walking toward her.

"Zach?!" the beachgoer shouted in both greeting and surprise. "What are you doing here?" Violet demanded to know.

The sandy-haired blond lowered his sunglasses. "Violet, is that you, kid?" He removed the glasses completely and replaced them with his normal pair. "Damn, I would not have recognized you if my ears weren't bleeding from your shrill voice…"

"Fuck you, too, egomaniac," Violet replied sweetly, flipping him the bird. She grinned at him, lifting her head to view her brother more clearly from under the sunhat. "Don't you just love your cabin? Robin really did great work!"

Zach rolled did not miss a beat. "Yeah, but the welcoming committee had a bit to be desired with their immediate disappearance after I arrive. They even had the audacity to start without me," he stated with a casual shrug. He glanced down his nose toward his younger sister. "I request housekeeping to provide a change of sheets immediately."

Violet's reaction was somewhere between second-hand mortification on Sam and Abigail's account and unadulterated mirth that things did not go Zach's way. "I've got some extra," she admitted, shielding her cackle behind her hand. "But you'll have to put them on yourself. The maid is on vacation this week," the farmer informed her older brother sarcastically.

The lawyer rolled his eyes. "Fine," he exhaled in a huff, giving in to his sister. "And while it's none of my business that you open a bordello on property, I humbly request that you put a halt to all business when I'm in town."

"If you gave me better warning, I might have been more careful to whom I gave the keys."

The suited man frowned, but kept his mouth shut. "Either way, I see you have plans for your little… beach party," he observed, glancing over his sister's attire in a judgmental manner than only a brother can muster. "I'll find you later after I've settled in my rustic little cabin in the woods."

"Please don't embarrass me," Violet moaned miserably. "In fact, feel free not to show up at all."

Zach loosened his wine-colored silk tie, the heat getting to him. "How am I to report back to Mumsie if I don't see you interacting with your playmates?"

Violet growled in annoyance. "Fine, whatever, but I'm not moving back to the city!" She tossed him her spare key to the farmhouse, making a point to stay as physically distant from her brother to display her repulsion by his mere presence. "You're welcome to use the kitchen if you need it," she informed him. Just because Zach was being a pest did not mean he was not family anymore. "Don't mind Bruno, he's harmless."

The male name piqued the blond's interest. "Found a boyfriend already, Vi? He sounds like the strapping farmhand type," Zach cooed mockingly. "I might have to steal him from you, baby sister."

"Don't you dare," Violet warned, trying to play along without revealing that Bruno was – in fact – a dog. "He's my fuzzy cuddle buddy."

One of Zach's eyebrows rose quizzically. "I didn't take you for the lumberjack type, Vi," he nodded as he imagined his sister's new boy toy as a rugged, bearded man. He shrugged, "But I suppose the farm life does change a person for better or worse."

"I'm heading out now," Violet announced, not waiting for more of her siblings' commentary on her life choices. "Either come to the beach later or don't," the farmer said dismissively. "I'll probably be out late."

"How bold of you to leave me alone with Bruno!" Zach cackled, twiddling his fingers in a little wave as she left. "

Violet hid her laughter until she turned toward town. Perhaps Bruno would bowl her brother over with his muddy paws and deflate Zach's oversized ego.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, readers: As you probably know, 1.5 recently came out. Since I'm trying to stay as true to canon as possible, I'm going to need to figure out what changes in dialogue and events occurred between now and 1.4 to see if I want to incorporate any of those changes in the near future. There are some obvious changes that don't really effect plot, such as additional farm animals. I'm going to have to figure out what matters for my future plot plans.
> 
> I use the wiki a lot (https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Version_History will be incredibly helpful), but if anyone else has any resources they want to share to help me along in the process, they would be much appreciated. Either way, I may take a short break before the next chapter due to the holidays and to play 1.5 and make some judgment calls.


	16. Luau

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Luau begins!

The beach was decorated with a tropical theme, with large, broad mats made from palm tree leaves covering the sand near the soup and one to create a dance floor. There were tiki totems and torches here and there, but they did not appear to have any organizational strategy. Surrounding the large cauldron were four long tables filled with a mouth-watering variety of foods for the festivities.

Mayor Lewis, donning an identical to his usual but clearly new cap on his head, called to the farmer. "This is our newest resident," the mustached man explained to a man clad in a purple suit that seemed ill-fitted for a hot summer day. "Violet here is the granddaughter of some good friends of mine who owned that big farm west of town. They passed some years ago and she moved in to follow in their footsteps!" he explained, with a strangely proud tone in his voice.

Sure, her grandparents knew Lewis, but Violet did not recall them being particularly good friends. Perhaps he was just being polite in the company of an outsider. "It's nice to meet you, sir…" the young woman told the newcomer cautiously.

"Same to you, young lady," the portly man replied, though he did not extend his arm for a handshake. Lewis leaned in slightly and whispered. "The governor's here for his annual visit. If you brought something for the potluck, make sure and add it to the soup cauldron."

Violet beamed, "Don't you worry. I brought a nice hot pepper."

The Mayor's face fell and if not for the wax on the tips of his mustache, the farmer was sure Lewis' facial hair would have drooped as well. "Oh, is that all?" he replied with a sigh. "I was hoping for something a little more… _substantial_."

Violet felt a mixture of shame and frustration. As much as she had fallen into a routine, the young woman knew she was still new to farming. What did the Mayor honestly expect, an item worth of a three-star Michelin restaurant? It was not as if Violet had advanced notice in any real meaning of the word. Had she known that there was a communal soup to which she would be expected to contribute a few weeks ago and if she knew the tastes of the townspeople better, Violet could have better prepared. "I see…" she replied sulkily before making a quick escape toward the buffet. Maybe some food from the buffet would cheer her up.

* * *

Shane felt the bulge of the purple shorts in his jacket pocket and self-consciously wondered if others noticed he was acting shifty. Jas had been so giddy at the idea, Shane just hoped she could keep her mouth shut when the moment finally came to give Lewis a taste of his own… well, himself.

It was too hot for long sleeves anyway, Shane realized. He was sweating as it was and keeping on his Joja Mart jacket for no reason would only look more suspicious. Maybe he could just take off the zip-up and stow it away under one of the buffet tables until it was time to give Lewis his bowl of soup. No sense in wasting the entire cauldron of good food that Aunt Marnie had worked so hard to prepare, after all.

Sure enough, while there were several containers hidden under the table, there was some space to spare. Shane tossed his jacket, along with the purple shorts, beneath the egg-blue tablecloth and looked around to make sure no one had seen him. Satisfied, the chicken farmer smiled to himself as he filled his plate with appetizers.

Gus caught his eyes and gave a chuckle at the sight of Shane's haul. "A heaping serving of everything!" he teased, his cheeks rosy with the heat of the day. "I'll take that as a compliment, Shane."

"I can resist your hot pepper chutney, Gus…" the stubbly man admitted, taking a bite of the gelatinous fare. Shane closed his eyes for a moment to better enjoy the heat in his mouth. "Wow... you don't get the good stuff like this in the big city..." Shane glanced down at his plate to grab another cracker to scoop the delicious goo when he found a chunk of it missing. Instead, he heard a munching sound beside him. Turning his head, he found Emily hovering nearby, chewing the stolen morsel in her mouth.

Once she finished, the barkeep had to add her own praises for her boss. "Oh, that is excellent!" Emily cooed in awe. "Oh, Gus! You've really outdone yourself this year."

The proprietor of The Stardrop Saloon twisted the end of his upturned mustache, nodding thoughtfully. "I included a special ingredient this year, it's really improved the depth of the flavor," he mused aloud. He looked to his part-time employee. "Do you think we should offer it on the menu at the saloon?"

"I'd order it!" Shane proclaimed, guarding his food from thieves a bit more carefully this time around.

Emily, meanwhile, tapped her finger on her chin ponderously. "If it's around all the time, then it's not as much of a treat at the Luau each year..." she said slowly. "Maybe only on certain days?"

Gus considered it from a businessperson's perspective. "Hm… Gotta keep a limited supply so there's always a demand, I suppose…" Shane found himself lost in the sauce for a moment as the other two continued their discussion of the menu at the local bar. When he finished, he realized a new person had joined their conversation.

"Oh, my gosh, Gus. You have to give me this recipe…" Violet begged, covering her mouth full of chutney as she spoke.

The jolly man smirked, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "Oh, perhaps we could come to an arrangement if you want to make a deal with some farm-fresh ingredients sold directly to The Stardrop Saloon. Cut out the middle man and those price hikes, eh?"

A grin flashed across the young woman's face. "I can't keep up with all the scandalously good food, drink, and dancing in this tiny town!" Violet feigned offense, clutching at imaginary pearls around her neck. "And now you want to add deplorable under-the-table dealings in produce, Gus?"

Gus hooted with laughter, "Well, lucky you this Pelican Town is no Bomont, even if we do have some old-fashioned ideas lingering about in…" the barkeep stole a look toward Mayor Lewis before adding, "more established members of the community."

Gus' "Footloose" reference went straight over Shane's head, but the pepper-lover did catch on to Gus' implication that he was not a fan of Lewis. Huh. Maybe even if he did get caught trying to drop the special ingredient in the Mayor's bowl, there might be more neighbors who would let it slide than he originally thought.

* * *

"Aren't you gonna dress for the beach, fam?" Sam asked the brooding young man sitting at his computer desk, his fingers typing and erasing a text message repeatedly as he changed his mind or chickened out.

"I hate swimming," Sebastian reminded his best friend. If he was not going to go into the water, what was the point of wearing different clothes? But the blond seemed to ignore him as he crammed in as many Joja Colas into the cooler that he possibly could.

Sam shot the dark-haired man a look, his green eyes bright. "Sure, but that doesn't mean that you won't be tempted to join us this year," he pointed out. "Or are you gonna sit under an umbrella and watch all the beautiful ladies from afar?" Sam teased, waggling his eyebrows theatrically. The blond turned back to the cooler and sat on it, satisfied when it closed enough for him to secure the latch. He smiled triumphantly as the lid stayed secure once he removed his body weight. "Besides, I have a feeling this is going to be the best Luau ever!"

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Why, because you aren't single anymore?"

A chuckle escaped Sam's lips. "Well, there is that fam," he admitted with a smug smile. Sebastian could tell from the goofy expression on his friend's face that something happened between Sam and Abigail last night. Not that he was going to ask for details, but Sebastian supposed it was good to see his friend so obnoxiously happy. Sam continued, "But the whole town's energy is different this year, ya know?"

The programmer slouched in his chair. "I… guess that's true," he confessed, avoiding Sam's gaze. His face flushed pink as he thought of what happened the night before. Lots of things different this year.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Sam snatched Sebastian's phone right out of his lap. "Now, let's see the message you've been drafting this whole time, eh?"

Sebastian's dark eyes widened in a panic. "No, don't!" he ordered, trying to grab the electronic device away from the thief.

Sam, being slightly taller, kept Sebastian at arm's length and stretched his other arm out the opposite way to hold hoodie-clad man's phone. "Sorry things got so weird last night…" the blond read. "I probably crossed a line. I hope you aren't too mad at me."

The owner of the phone deflated with each word that Sam read, slowly sinking back into his chair. A toothy grin appeared on Sam's face as he returned the phone. "So…" the blond began in a sing-song voice, nudging Sebastian with his elbow. "What happened between you and Violet after we left last night?"

"You're worse than our moms," Sebastian grumbled, trying to shame his friend for being such a gossip.

The skater seemed unaffected by the accusation and sat on his bed, watching Sebastian expectantly. "C'mon," he urged Sebastian, "Maybe I can draw upon my fountain of knowledge for wooing the ladies to help you out."

"Didn't _Abigail_ make the first move?"

"Details, my troubled friend," Sam replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. He lay back on his bed, holding his old Game Boy aloft to start up a game so that Sebastian might feel more comfortable talking about things. Like lots of prey animals, Sebastian did not like being looked at head-on for too long. "Now c'mon, out with it!"

Sebastian hesitated, unsure of how to describe the events that occurred. "We fought over the last sushi roll and - ugh - things got a little… physical, I guess?" He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Like she literally sat on me to try to keep me from stealing it and when I got free, I figured the best way to pin her down was to get her on her back on the floor and by sitting across her waist…" The dark-haired man could tell Sam was eating this up. In hindsight, Sebastian realized he had not been thinking at the time, but saying it aloud made things even worse. "Anyway… I think she was into it?"

Sam did his best to keep his mouth shut, but Sebastian could tell the blond was dying to ask questions or make commentary. "How so, fam?" the skater questioned calmly, doing his best to focus on the little pixelated Mario on his screen.

The programmer's face went as red as the lobster that he and Violet boiled the night before. "She uh… made a - a noise when my face got closer to hers, I think," Sebastian stumbled upon his words. "I-I'm not really sure what about it triggered that reaction." He remembered the way her pupils were dilated, making her deep blue eyes appear larger somehow. Violet's lips looked so soft and inviting, and there was something about the way they struggled against one another for control - of the sushi, of course - that made his thoughts flow directly into the gutter. Sebastian cleared his throat, "Either way, I ducked out of there really quickly afterward."

Sam shot upward into a seated position, throwing his Game Boy aside. "You did WHAT?" the blond demanded, clearly scandalized that his friend missed a golden opportunity. "Sebby! You're killing me, man," the green-eyed man groaned.

Sebastian held up his arms defensively, though he was not sure what he expected Sam to do. "I-I didn't want to do anything I'd regret!" he fumbled to explain. "Violet said she needed some time the night before the Flower Dance!"

The skater held up a finger, "One, you could have really embarrassed Violet by leaving like she had the plague he informed the clueless wonder across the room, shaking his head. Sam stood up and approached his friend, draping his arm around Sebastian's shoulders. "Secondly, fam! If you two had talked about it right then and there, you might have found out where Violet stood - or laid - on the subject." He winked suggestively. "Who knows?" Sam added, lifting his shoulders quizzically. "Maybe she just needed a couple weeks to sort it all out and you two could have had some fun?"

"I mean, I still had fun hanging out…" Sebastian protested, though the idea that he could have upset Violet by ditching her again made a lump appear in the pit of his stomach. Had he ruined everything?

"Quit stalling!" the blond insisted. Releasing Sebastian, the town's number one extrovert rummaged through the bag the single man brought. Sam tossed a pair of swim trunks toward his embarrassed friend. "Now get your suit on! We've got a Luau to liven up!"

* * *

Passing the dance floor to the western edge of the beach, which was already claimed by Demetrius and Robin, the children, and Emily, Violet spied a sales booth. Sure enough, it was manned by none other than Pierre. Caroline stood close-by, clearly annoyed that her husband was not taking the day off to simply enjoy the festivities with the rest of the villagers.

The bespectacled salesman greeted his potential customer with a wide, winning grin. "Good day to you, farmer Violet!" Pierre called from behind his booth. "Lovely day for a Luau, isn't it?"

Violet nodded in agreement, as she glanced over what Pierre had to offer. Her deep blue eyes widened in excitement when she spied a flash of bright yellow. "Is that a Paopu?!" the young woman asked excitedly, gesturing to the starfruit he had displayed.

Pierre had no idea the farmer was referencing a beloved Disney/Final Fantasy cross-over game but did his best to answer the question. "It's a starfruit, farmer Violet. Are you not growing any this summer?"

The pastel-haired woman thought for a moment. Her jaw dropped. "You mean to tell me that the seed packet Gunther gave me was for one of these?!" Violet got the seed from the museum's curator after the gang explored the mines, but she had completely forgotten about it until now, but recognized the packet on the signage Pierre used. The seed was probably in a chest somewhere, the farmer thought to herself in annoyance. Hopefully, she would still have time left in the season to plant and nurture it to full maturity.

Leaning on the counter of his booth, Pierre pitched the sale. "Well, I happen to know for a fact that if you put a starfruit in the soup, it's guaranteed to receive a compliment from the Governor." He popped the collar of his earth-toned button-down, "Not to mention it would certainly make you more popular among the rest of the town for providing such a rare ingredient."

While Violet was still new to farming, she knew that the starfruit itself was not an especially magnificent specimen. As much as she hated to admit it, if Mayor Lewis had been so underwhelmed by the hot pepper she intended to contribute, maybe there was some truth in Pierre's words.

"How can you be so sure?" Violet inquired, testing the validity of the shopkeeper's statement.

The brunet grinned, knowing that he stood a chance to make a big profit today and prove to his wife that manning the booth during a village festival was worth it all along. "Well, Lewis always talks about the time your grandparents brought a starfruit to the Luau and how the Governor sang his praises for that soup for years after that." He shrugged, "So while I can't say for sure if this particular starfruit is the same quality as the one Lewis and the Governor recall so fondly, the starfruit has a history of success…"

Violet pondered this for a moment. The three-thousand gold price was steep for a single piece of produce. If only she had not forgotten about the seed, then perhaps she would not be in this predicament in the first place. But, on the other hand, she did want the other villagers to like her and she had not exactly had time to make friends with everyone in town just yet. Contributing a starfruit to the communal soup could be a great way to make a positive impression on the townsfolk overall.

Then there was another facet to the dilemma that swayed Violet toward the purchase. Even if it was not a "real" Paopu, it was the actual food the fictitious fruit was based upon. Violet had her own reasons to want to acquire one of the bright star-shaped fruits if it could bring about luck in her personal relationships. The young woman did a lot of thinking on her way to the beach today. If she managed to get Sebastian alone to talk about last night like she hoped, Violet was going to need all the luck she could get.

Sighing heavily, Violet produced the funds from her bag. "I'll take it," she notified Pierre, who all but squealed in delight.

"Thank you for your business, Violet," the bespectacled man replied in a sing-song voice, collecting the payment in one hand, and handing off the expensive fruit to its new owner with the other. His grin only widened as he dismissed his one and only customer that day, "Enjoy your first Pelican Town Luau!"

* * *

Evelyn closed her misty grey eyes, feeling the spray of the sea on her wrinkled face as she reflected fondly on her memories. "Do you remember how we went skinny dipping with Buck off that pier after the Luau back in '57?" she giggled quietly, poking her husband's shoulder to get his attention.

The bald man gave a rare chuckle and his weathered skin stretched back away from his mouth as he smiled. "If my memory serves me right, we had to hide under the docks for a while when your daddy came out with his shotgun looking for you," he reminisced, giving his wife a look. "You nearly got us all caught because you couldn't stop giggling."

Granny grinned demurely behind her bony hand. "Well, I had the two most handsome young men in town naked as the day they were born treading water within arms' reach of me," she replied coyly, gently petting George's head wistfully. "You couldn't expect a young lady to keep her composure…"

Her husband heaved a sigh. "It's odd looking back on those days now," George admitted with a frown. "Herschel died far too young, but… recalling those old memories doesn't hurt as much as it used to."

Evelyn bobbed her head knowingly in agreement. "There's no shame in that, George. Time heals all wounds." She beamed and squeezed her husband's hand. "And we've had a lot of time since then!"

"I can't remember half of it," the old man replied jokingly. "Let alone what I ate for breakfast yesterday."

"You ate oatmeal with raisins, dear," Evelyn reminded her spouse.

He scoffed. "Those little lumps were raisins?" George asked quizzically. "No wonder it tasted different than usual."

"I wish Clara were here…" she whispered softly, so that not even George could hear her over the tide. There was a long silence between the old couple as they watched the incoming in quiet contemplation, tuning out the sounds of the others around them, and simply enjoying each other's company.

As the sea breeze cooled his sun-spotted face from the sun's hot rays, George glanced up at his wife. Evelyn looked as beautiful as the first day they met and for a moment, the elderly man could have sworn they were the only two people in the world.

* * *

Alex could not wipe the grin off his face and he nibbled a juicy piece of meat free from his kebab. "I've been dreaming of these babies ever since Summer started," he informed Haley through his mouthful.

The blonde rolled her bright blue eyes behind her over-sized sunglasses. "Ugh, just keep it in your mouth, Alex," she replied in disgust, averting her gaze. She looked around to avoid looking at him chewing and to Alex's surprise Haley did a double-take toward the beach entrance. "Oh my gosh, who is that hottie?" she demanded to know, lowering her shades to better view the specimen in question.

Turning, Alex saw a tall man with sandy-blond hair in a neat, well-tailored Hawaiian shirt that showed off his lean physique. The dimple in his chin gave him a more mature look, despite the fact that the rest of his face looked young. He wore dark, reflective sunglasses, which he promptly removed and tucked away on the top of his head to reveal striking green eyes.

"I dunno," he told his companion. "I've never seen him around before…" The mystery man had a presence about him that Alex could not ignore and the athlete found himself staring for longer than he intended.

Haley smiled, running her fingers through her hair like a comb to tame the strands tousled by the wind. "I'm going to go talk to him," she announced, without waiting for Alex to respond.

This was the first time Haley had ditched Alex so suddenly for a guy. It threw Alex for a loop as he watched the blonde approach the newcomer with a casual grace only a former prom queen could achieve. The jock heard Haley's laugh - that convincing, yet fake way she did when she wanted to make a good impression.

It was then the man noticed Alex. The next thing the spiky-haired man knew, he blinked and the blond stood before him, hand outstretched to introduce himself. "Zach," the guy stated simply.

Putting down his empty kebab stick, Alex suddenly became self-conscious that he might have some grease on his hand. It was too late now, his hand was already clasped in Zach's. The dude had a good, firm handshake, he noticed. "Alex," the brunet replied with a cocky smirk, making sure to squeeze a little harder than he would normally in response. Zach could take it, right?

The man's thick eyebrows rose along with the corners of his mouth. "Nice grip you've got there," Zach commented, winking at Alex. The stranger's words were so unexpected, the aspiring professional athlete flustered. Alex even jumped slightly when he realized Haley stood beside them.

The blond acknowledged the woman with a charming grin. "Haley, I'm insulted!" he indicated in a low voice, stealing a glance at the young woman. "You didn't tell me that you and your boyfriend here were the best-looking people in town!"

Haley quickly corrected him. "Alex isn't my boyfriend," she informed the stranger with a light touch to his shoulder. Alex could tell that his friend was using it as an excuse to feel up the newcomer's lean musculature. "We've just been friends forever," Haley said, rolling her cerulean eyes. "So, before you ran off to meet Alex here, you were telling me a bit about yourself, Zach," Haley reminded the blond. "What brings you to Pelican Town? I've never seen you around here before and I doubt our little Luau is all that exciting to an outsider."

Zach expelled his breath in a huff, sliding his shades back over his eyes as he scanned the beach, as if looking for someone in particular. "My mother wanted me to check up on my baby sister and drag her back to the big city kicking and screaming," he explained with exasperation. "But I have no desire to be the fun police and it's none of my damn business if she wants to spend her life in a tiny coastal hamlet." He colorfully-clad man tilted his head toward the Governor. "Secondly," he continued, "I have business with the Governor if I can steal him away from old man Lewis."

Alex and Haley exchanged knowing looks. "So I guess that means you're the farm girl's older bro?" the jock deduced from the stranger's words.

The blond exhaled deeply as he caught sight of his sister talking to some artsy-looking people on the far side of the beach. Who wore suspenders without a proper suit jacket? The other one looked like Fabio and Lestat's love child. Violet had always been so eccentric in her choice of company. "Unfortunately, yes, that little gremlin is my sister."

"I can't believe you two are related," Haley added, aghast how Violet dared keep her hot older brother a secret from her. Sure, they were not the best of friends, but that was something the farmer should have mentioned! "I sometimes wonder if my sister is adopted, we're so different." The woman pointed her older sibling out from the small group of dancing party-goers. Emily stood at the center of the palm mat twisting her limbs and spinning around in a fluid, yet seemingly random manner. Shane shuffled his feet to the music beside her, trying desperately to neither be hit by Emily's flailing limbs nor orbit too far from his partner.

Zach inhaled sharply through his teeth. "I see what you mean, Haley," he admitted with a chuckle. He took her hand and gestured to the rest of her with his other. "There's always one sibling who gets all the pretty genes of the family, am I right?"

Haley blushed and pushed Zach playfully. "Oh, stop!" she demanded half-heartedly. "I can see you got all the luck on your end, too."

Popping the collar on his sky-blue Hawaiian shirt, Zach smirked. "Successfully career, charismatic, and a bod that just won't quit - I got them all." He snickered, "Poor, Vi, there was nothing good left for her…"

Alex's brows furrowed and Haley caught on. "Zach's a lawyer in NuNu City, Alex!" Her eyes lit up as she uttered the words of the city in which she so longed to reside.

The brunet tried to play it cool. "A big shot, huh?" He tugged at his white cotton "Sun's out, guns out" tank top, casually showing off his muscles. "But I'll be more famous than you one day."

This bold statement intrigued the lawyer. "Oh, yeah?" His shamrock-colored eyes scrutinized the jock. "You're too hydrated to be a bodybuilder, so I can tell those muscles of yours aren't just for show. But they've gotta be for a sport of some kind," he observed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Judging by your tan, I'd say an outdoor one."

Alex nodded in confirmation, but let the aviator-wearer continue without any further input. "Not built in the shoulders enough for a swimmer. Too bulky for a straight-up runner, though…" The blond tapped the cleft in his chin. "So soccer and cross-country aren't your thing." Zach went down his list of deductions. "Rugby would pose too much risk scarring that pretty face of yours, golf is too mind-numbingly dull, and you're not quite tall enough for basketball." The blond smiled, "Which means you're aiming to play professional gridball.

"Wow, you're good at this!" Haley said in awe. "Do me next!" she insisted, wanting Zach to guess her desired occupation. But the man decided to mess around instead.

"There is plenty of me to go around, blondie" the sandy-haired blond assured her teasingly, noting Alex's laughter at the look on Haley's face.

Haley's face flushed as she frowned, her eyebrows knitting in anger. "I changed my mind," she declared. "I'm not a believer in the 'loveable asshole' type, thanks." The blonde backed away from the others and made a retreat toward the tide pool on the opposite end of the beach.

"Hm…" Zach mused aloud. "I misjudged and made a costly mistake, it seems." His emerald eyes glanced at Alex. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"

The tanned man shrugged. "Haley's been really moody since the Flower Dance," he stated flippantly. "Maru asked me to be her partner and Haley got mad that I accepted or something, I don't know."

"Sounds like Haley is a little jealous the most eligible bachelor in town was taken in a complete blindside," Zach chuckled, unbuttoning the uppermost two on his shirt. Alex figured he must be getting hot from standing in the direct sun so long.

It took the brunet a moment to realize that Zach had assumed he and Maru were dating. Alex should not have been surprised by the assumption, he supposed. The guy did not know everyone in town. "Oh, Maru's not my girlfriend, either. She's my personal trainer and like - the smartest person I know!"

Zach nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, best not to mix business with pleasure," he agreed. "That leads to all sorts of grey areas - and that's where there's room to make my clients a lot of money!" he chuckled. He paused before changing the subject slightly. "I am highly interested in _meeting_ this trainer of yours, however…"

The spiky-haired brunet blinked in surprise. "Oh, uh – Sure, dude." He bobbed his head in the direction of the fire pit on the other side of the beach. "Looks like she's over there, c'mon."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll bet some of you were worried I wouldn't return after not getting a new chapter for two weeks. Fear not, I've invested far too much time and effort into this fic to abandon it. 
> 
> What the hell, we've reached over 300,000 words! It's kind of insane to think about since we're only at the Luau, but the wear on my keyboard tells me that it's true. Thanks to all you readers and here's to another 300,000 words. :) - Shade


	17. A Taste of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second half of Violet's first Luau.

Maru tried her best not to crowd Linus as he slowly turned the meat on its spit over the fire, but it smelled so enticing, that the woman could not resist the intoxicating smell and the sizzle of the grease as it dripped slowly into the hungry flames below.

"A slow, continuous rotation is key to achieving the perfect roast," Linus told the young woman lurking behind him. Maru chuckled nervously, knowing she had been caught.

"Whatever you're roasting smells awfully good," she praised the bearded man as she approached the fire pit to stand beside him. "You look like you really know what you're doing!"

The amber-eyed man nodded thoughtfully. "Outdoor cooking is one of my specialties," the old man confessed modestly, his gaze never leaving the rotisserie in front of him. "It's a necessary skill for my 'alternative lifestyle,'" he added with a chuckle under his breath.

It occurred to Maru that although Linus was her closest neighbor, they did not speak much. The young scientist did not know much about the mysterious "wild man" who lived in the tent behind her family's house. She thought now was as good a time as ever to start changing that. "If you don't mind my asking, what did you do before coming to live on the mountain side?"

An upward curve slowly pulled back his lips. "I was - oh what nonsense lingo do they use for it now?" He cleared his throat as the word came to him. "Ah, yes! I was an independent contractor working with the government," Linus stated coyly. "Let's just leave it at that."

"I suppose you got to meet a lot of interesting people," Maru probed casually, trying to keep up the conversation.

Linus shrugged. "Sometimes interesting means more trouble than it's worth, if you ask me," he replied, swatting away at a sandfly attracted by the roasting meat.

"It sounds like you left on bad terms," Maru observed from his words and closed-off body language.

"How astute of you to notice," the yellow-clad man sighed, the edge in his voice receding as he spoke. His warm eyes glanced Maru's way. "I have my own reasons for living alone the way I do," he explained to her. "Some things are best left unsaid…"

"Hey, Maru!" a voice called out from the west. The young woman looked up to see Alex approaching with a man she had never seen before.

Linus bobbed his head in their direction. "Best get going to see your friends then stick around with an old man like me…"

While Maru was dissatisfied with leaving the conversation as it was, she quickly realized that Linus was not likely to open up much further on the subject. "Very well," she agreed. "But I look forward to tasting the results of your work!" she added with a smile before turning her body to head toward Alex and the blond with him.

* * *

Violet approached the giant cauldron cautiously, worried that the piping hot mass would bubble up at an inopportune moment and scald her. She already felt more vulnerable than usual in her beach attire and adding a burn to the mix was something she wished to avoid. She did not have any aloe plants after the move to Pelican Town, after all. In fact, Violet had to sell or give away the entirety of her old apartment jungle when she decided to live in the Valley - except for Plus Ultra Violet. The African violet had to stay because he was her first and oldest plant baby.

And so, with no at-home remedy waiting for her should she make a mistake, the young woman hesitated, unsure how to go about adding her star fruit to the soup properly. She should not put it in whole… If only she had asked to borrow a knife to cut it. Then again, Violet had no idea how to prepare a star fruit.

Marnie spied the farmer from her stirring platform. "If you brought something for the soup, climb the stairs on the other side, and throw it in," the rancher instructed, trying to reassure the pastel-haired woman.

The farmer hesitated. "I don't think I can just throw this in as-is…" Violet explained, holding out the star fruit for Marnie's inspection.

"Oh, you're right, Violet," Marnie concurred. She pointed over to one of the buffet tables, "Go ask Gus for a knife and a cutting board. He'll know what to do."

Violet nodded and did as she was instructed. Gus made quick work of the star fruit, humming softly and muttering words of excitement about having star fruit in this year's soup. "This will do nicely," he told the young woman. "It's not the finest quality fruit I've seen, but it'll do just fine with those sweet and sour notes."

The pastel-haired woman began to feel validated for spending so much money on the star fruit, even if it was highly likely that Pierre jacked up the price a bit too much for a bigger profit. When Gus was done shaving off the hard corners of the rind and slicing neat little star-shaped slices of the fruit, he handed it back to Violet. "This one was pretty big, so I suggest keeping a few pieces for yourself," he added with a wink, handing her a small, tied-off bundle and the rest of the slices on the cutting board.

Violet blushed slightly. Had Gus overheard her when she called it a Paopu fruit at Pierre's stand? Did the barkeep know what the idea of sharing the starfruit with someone meant to her? "T-thank you," she responded politely, quickly retreating to the soup cauldron and surrendering the contents of the cutting board to Marnie.

"Oh, that smells delightful!" the rancher commended as she folded in the new ingredient to the brew. When she looked up, however, she realized that Violet was gone.

* * *

Elliott stepped out onto the beach for a breath of fresh air. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the bright light of the sun overhead and quickly noticed the entire town was gathered practically on his doorstep. "My word!"

Leah caught sight of him almost instantly and waved the poet over. "You forgot about the Luau again, didn't you, Eli?" The ginger laughed teasingly before shooing him back inside his home to put on the proper attire. "It's good for you to absorb some vitamin D," the artist insisted, gesturing to her own mint green swim top that replaced her usual shirt. "Take off all those layers and loosen up for a while."

The author was not one to flaunt himself around others, but it did appear that his neighbors at least wore swimming costumes underneath their attire. Elliott supposed he could make a similar attempt. Retreating into his shack, Elliott swapped his long pants for identically colored swim trunks and shed his burgundy overcoat and green tie, leaving only his white button-up shirt. After a quick glance in the mirror, the silky-haired man nodded in approval and ditched his shoes before stepping out barefoot into the sand.

Leah smiled as she saw him approach. "Much better!" the woman said with an approving smile before taking a sip of her ice-cold drink. "So how's the writing going?" the sculptor asked casually, taking another slurp of her punch through a straw.

Elliott exhaled dejectedly. "I am in desperate need of a muse to finish the last few chapters of my book," he confessed. "The words simply escape me. Even when I begin to put quill to paper, the prose always lacks something vital," the author complained miserably. "I cannot comprehend what element is missing, but I increasingly loathe each draft so much that I tear it in a fit of passion and toss it into the waste bin."

"That's some major writer's block," Leah replied with concern. "Even for you."

The light-haired brunet heaved a sigh. "If only something of interest would happen to grant me inspiration," he stated, as if daring the universe to provide him exactly that.

Leah glanced over toward the buffet tables. "Well, I hear that Violet has a visitor in town," the red head informed her friend. "Word around the beach is that he parked his fancy car at the bus stop and headed straight for Fairy Rose Farm this morning."

Elliott's eyes widened for a moment. "A suitor?" he inquired excitedly, leaning in closer to Leah to keep their conversation more private. "What about our broody mountain dweller? Has this man presented himself as a challenger for Miss Violet's hand?"

Leah's grey eyes rolled in their sockets. "I doubt it, from what Violet has mentioned about her ex."

The poet frowned, dissatisfied with that answer. "Who discovered this mystery man?" Elliott wanted to know. "What do we know about him?"

"From what I gather, it was Mayor Lewis," Leah revealed. "He went to wait for the Governor's arrival at the bus stop and saw the guy leaving his car. Once the Mayor finds out, it basically becomes the whole town's business."

Pondering briefly, Elliott made a speculation. "I suppose it could be a relation…"

Leah nodded in agreement and upon seeing Sam and Penny close by, Leah called them over to collaborate. "Do you know who the mystery guy that went to visit Violet this morning is?" she probed quietly.

Sam grinned sheepishly. "The blond guy?" he answered with a chuckle. "He's Violet's older bro," the skater shared with the group. "I met him this morning."

"What business does he have in Pelican Town?" Elliott wanted to know. "Is it merely an innocent social call or is there something more sinister at play?"

Penny gave a small smile, but quickly hid it behind her hand. "Does a sibling need an excuse to visit?" she enquired curiously.

Elliott frowned. "Mine certainly would…" he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Edmund was engaged to his ex-fiancée and the poet had yet to forgive his brother for such an offense.

Sam contributed the only real knowledge he had. "He's just here for a visit for all I know, but from what I hear, they don't get along."

"I got that general impression, too," Leah added confidently. "But for some reason Robin seems to have a really good impression of him…" The ginger had overheard the carpenter talking about Violet's brother and how he somehow provided a lot of business.

This intrigued Elliott, but before he could say anything, the blond across from him shouted a welcome. "Hey, Violet!" Sam called to the farmer, who seemed to be just out of earshot for normal volume of conversation. "Come join us!"

The farmer approached and squeezed her way into the conversational circle. "Hey, guys!" Violet addressed the crowd with a smile. "How are you all today?"

"Can't complain," Sam answered quickly. "I am gonna get myself a Joja Cola, though," he added to excuse himself. "Anyone else want anything to drink?" the blond offered.

"Oh, get me another glass of punch!" Leah responded eagerly, handing him her glass of half-melted ice cubes.

Penny looked embarrassed about something, though Elliott was not quite sure why. "I'll go with you, Sam," she said, quickly falling into step with the skater and making a hasty retreat for the buffet tables.

Elliott supposed neither of them wanted to impose on Violet for more information about her brother. There were certainly plenty of ways to pose such questions without seeming too nosy. It was all about the art of conversation. In fact, providing false information made a person more likely to correct the mistake. "I hear you had a gentleman caller this morning, Miss Violet," Elliott stated, hoping for just that.

Violet immediately took the bait with a low, guttural groan. "You mean my pain in the ass brother, Zach?"

"Ah, is that who it is?" Elliott articulated innocently. "You sound terribly annoyed by his very presence."

The farmer sighed. "Mom wanted him to come convince me to move back to NuNu, but that isn't going to happen in a million years," she explained. "So I guess he's just going to stay long enough to get into my business before he ducks out of here to go back to the Big City so he can at least tell our mom that he tried."

"I'm so glad you don't plan on leaving, Violet," Leah admitted unabashedly. "Pelican Town wouldn't be the same without you now."

Violet beamed at her friend. "Aw, that's so sweet of you!" she crooned with a slight blush to her cheeks under the shade of her sun hat.

* * *

"You are not at all what I expected when Alex mentioned he had a personal trainer," Zach conceded to Maru once Alex introduced them. "Is it your normal gig or does everyone have multiple hats in this town?"

The young woman pushed her red glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I think it's safe to say that it's just me," she countered, knowing fully well that the blond expected a tall, physically fit woman to be Alex's trainer. "I enjoy juggling different projects to keep my mind fresh."

"Maru crunches the numbers on my performance to make a special training routine just for me," Alex disclosed to the visitor. Zach could tell that the local jock was proud of this fact.

The blond looked down at Maru, "I bet you'd be good at calculating betting odds for sporting events."

She shrugged. "It's possible, but I don't particularly care for gambling," she told the lawyer. "I prefer discovery through hard work and experimentation over games of chance." Maru's warm brown eyes focused on Alex. "Alex has put in a lot of work and made some statistically significant improvements in just one season!"

"Is that so?" Zach reacted, eyeing Alex curiously. He shook his head, "But training solo isn't going to get you where you there." The blond snickered. "Everything changes when other players are involved," he elucidated. "Lots of athletes get the yips when the pressure is too much for them to handle."

Alex frowned. "Other people don't intimidate me!" he asserted defensively.

"Tell that to a 300-pound linebacker charging at you at full speed."

Maru considered this point. "That is a huge factor we've neglected to include in your training, Alex..."

The brunet frowned at this commentary from Maru. "So what do we do to fix that?"

"Well, there are several ways to approach it..." the scientist began, but Zach interrupted.

"I could submit some timed runs to see how you compare, kid," the blonde offered. "I'm an actual runner. I run marathons on a semi-regular basis between all my cases." Maru could tell Zach was trying to show off, but there was no harm in a bit of rivalry between the two men if it meant igniting Alex's competitive spirit anew.

Before Alex could object, Maru accepted on his behalf. "I'll give you a map of Alex's normal route and you submit your times to me each day that you're here in town," the bespectacled woman ordered. "We'll see if you're all talk or not," she added with a slight upward curve to her lips. Maru noticed a spark in Zach's eyes as he looked at Alex, answering their challenge. The local athlete returned the expression with a cocky grin of his own. "Let the best man win," he replied, offering his hand out to Violet's brother. The two gripped each other's hand more tightly than necessary.

 _Oh yes, this will be excellent for motivating Alex,_ she thought to herself. _And perhaps I'll get more data on performative masculinity..._

* * *

"Gather 'round everyone!" Mayor Lewis cried out to the people of Pelican Town, motioning the crowd toward the center of the party grounds. "Folks, it's time once again for the potluck ceremony." The two mustached men stood in front of the giant pot and Lewis adjusted his tweed flat cap anxiously as the Governor eyed the liquid mix in the cauldron. "I trust that you all put high-quality ingredients in the pot this year. We don't want the Governor to regret his visit to the Valley!"

There was a murmur in the crowd, though Lewis was unsure as to why. Lewis rolled up his emerald green sleeves and grabbed a bowl to serve the elected official. "Well… Governor? Would you do us the honor of tasting the soup?" he queried as Marnie poured a serving into the bowl from her ladle.

Smiling under his mustache, the Governor accepted it eagerly. "Of course! I've been looking forward to this all year." He squinted slightly in the bright sunlight but slurped the warm broth from his spoon. The rotund man paused for a moment, swishing the soup around in his mouth to better taste it. The caterpillar-like eyebrows on his forehead danced as he swallowed the concoction. Smiling with satisfaction, the man in the purple suit spoke. "Ah… that's a very pleasant soup," he said with a refreshed tone. "The produce from this valley never disappoints!"

"Mmm… tasty," Lewis agreed as he doled out a spoonful from his own bowl. "You all did very well today." He took up one of the empty containers and looked around at his neighbors. "Now, who else wants some soup?"

Once everyone's portions were served, Mayor Lewis returned to his own bowl. Scooping the warm liquid, he brought it to his mouth and inhaled the intoxicating scent. Yes, this was a quality soup, even if it was not the best the town had ever produced. It made an excellent impression on the Governor. Perhaps he had been too hard on Violet as a first-year farmer. Oh, well, it did not matter.

As the grey-haired man neared the bottom of his bowl, Lewis noticed a change in flavor. The soup was tangier and getting darker in color. He wondered why until the next spoonful, which caught onto a piece of fabric within the bowl. The Mayor's dark eyes grew wide as he realized the identity of the mystery ingredient. Lewis whipped his head around, trying to catch anyone who might be watching for his reaction, but no one seemed particularly cognizant of him. The Mayor scowled at the bowl, wondering when his lucky purple shorts were added to the soup. Had they been in the cauldron, or were they added specifically to his soup later?

The suspender-wearing senior knew better than to raise a stink about this openly. If anyone - especially the Governor - caught on that a pair of his boxer shorts had potentially been in the communal pot, the repercussions would undeniably ruin the Luau. No one had to know… he thought to himself. So long as he caught the culprit and punished them accordingly. But who could it be?

As the sun began to sink low in the sky, Leah saw Haley pacing back and forth across the beach, her blue eyes frantically searching for something among the grains and shells.

"Leah! Come here, quick!" the blonde pled desperately. "My bracelet is gone! I know I had it on when I got here..." Haley explained, her cracking voice let Leah know that she was on the verge of tears. "But now it's gone, and I can't find it anywhere..." The woman sank to her knees and began to rake her fingers across the sand to better assist her search.

The artist joined her. "It can't have gone far," Leah assumed soothingly. "When was the last time you saw it?"

Shuddering, Haley closed her eyes briefly. "I-I think it was over by eastern beach," she articulated to the woman helping her. "But I looked over there and I couldn't find it anywhere..." Leah quickly realized that she had never seen her neighbor this upset before. Before the Flower Dance, the artist would have been hard-pressed to find any evidence that the blonde displayed any other emotion than disgust. It was both refreshing and unnerving to see this more human side of Haley.

"I'll never find another one like it..." the blue-clad woman whined pitifully.

"I'm really sorry," Leah responded sadly, resting her hand on Haley's shoulder apologetically.

"Maybe it'll wash up on another shore. I can't bear to think of it at the bottom of the ocean," Haley sighed dejectedly as she sat in the sand moping. "Sorry, great-grandma. I lost your precious bracelet. Please forgive me."

 _Oh, it's a family heirloom, that's awful!_ the ginger cringed internally. _Could she have dropped it nearby?_ Leah thought to herself. "I'll be right back," she told the sobbing blonde. "Don't go anywhere, okay?"

Leah quickly went to Gus and borrowed a flashlight before heading straight toward the tide pools. Shining the light on the sand in front of her, the artist scanned the beach for anything that glinted in the beam. When she found nothing, Leah decided to backtrack and expand her search to the area near this side of the beach. Sure enough, as she followed the river that emptied into the ocean upstream next to Elliott's house, she found something shiny on the ground. It was gold with a relatively large sapphire, flanked by small diamonds on either side. Even as a sculptor, Leah found herself impressed with the craftsmanship. "This must be it," she uttered to herself as she headed back toward Haley.

Haley's teary eyes widened in wonder as Leah presented the missing jewelry. "Is that...?" the blonde gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth. Haley leaped up to her feet. "You found it!" the photographer wailed.

Leah suddenly found herself more self-conscious under Haley's gaze. "It's not a big deal," she replied.

The younger woman gestured to the others on the beach for the festival. "No one else helped me. They were all too busy with clean-up..."

Leah chuckled nervously. "I guess we should have been helping with that before we went looking for your bracelet."

Haley shook her head vigorously. "No, I'm glad you helped me. I - I would have never been able to forgive myself if I lost this bracelet forever!" Throwing her arms around Leah, Haley cried tears of joy. "Thank you so much, Leah. You're a lifesaver." As Haley pulled away from the embrace, she added. "I won't forget what you did for me here."

Emily called to her sister from the beach entrance and Haley gave Leah a final good-bye. "Thank you so much, Leah. I'll see you again soon, okay?" The blonde gave her neighbor one last firm squeeze before following her sister home.

Leah noticed that she felt a little warmer on her walk home that night, despite the breeze.

* * *

The last of the festival decorations and food had been packed away and put into either storage or distributed among the villagers to take home. Most people had already made their good-byes and went home for the night, exhausted from the day's events or from all the food they ate.

Violet wanted to stick around and speak to Sebastian if she could. The farmer knew she had to be bold - decisive even if she wanted to say what she needed to say to him. She first checked the end of the western pier where Sebastian had gone to mull things over when he and Abigail fought that night last season. But there, Violet only found Rasmodius, whom she had not spoken to since the weird incident in which he had potentially drugged her so she could talk to the Junimos.

"The merpeople are curious about your festivities," he said to Violet as she approached. "They become upset when you litter into the ocean." Was he talking about Talla? the farmer wondered. Either way, she was not the person Violet wanted to find. "Have you seen Sebastian?" she wanted to know.

The purple-bearded man tipped his hat toward the eastern beach. "He got a bit grumpy with me and accused me of stealing his spot," the wizard explained. "So, I conveyed to him if he really wanted to brood so badly, he could do so on the end of the other pier." Violet would have laughed if she had not been in such a hurry.

"Thank you!" she said to Rasmodius before rushing off to find the dark-haired young man.

Sebastian heaved a heavy sigh, frustrated at his own cowardice for not pulling Violet aside to talk about the night before during the festival. The farmer had probably headed home by now. "How do I even start?" he mused aloud. "Hey, I wanted to just check in with you and apologize for inappropriately pinning you down in a sexual manner last night..." Sebastian scoffed sarcastically.

"I-it's okay," Violet squeaked in reply. "I kind of started it by sitting on you."

Sebastian whipped around; his face completely flushed from embarrassment. _No one was supposed to hear that! Fuck, I already messed this up. I didn't even hear her coming!_

Violet joined him sitting at the edge of the pier, watching the slither of a moon overhead. For a while, there were no words between them as they silently enjoyed each other's company. Sebastian was the first to speak up. "So, uh… how was your first Luau?" he queried the farmer.

Violet made a small hum as she considered her answer. "It's nice to be a part of all these small-town traditions," the pastel-haired woman shared. "I know that Pelican Town doesn't have a lot of people compared to a city, but when everyone all comes together for an event like this it feels… special to be a part of it."

The dark-haired man found these festivals more tiresome than anything else, but then again, they had been a part of his routine for most of his life. He had not considered how it would feel on the flip side.

"I even got to keep some of my Paopu fruit!" Violet announced happily, unwrapping a tiny bundle of five-pointed slices to show him.

Sebastian vaguely understood that the inaccurate naming was a reference to a game, but he did not recognize the fandom right away.

"Isn't that a star fruit?" Sebastian asked to clarify, wondering if Violet would clarify or shed some light on what made her so excited about the edible yellow stars.

Violet seemed embarrassed by the correction. "Uh - yeah, it's really just another name for it," she admitted bashfully. "But there's a legend that if you share one with someone, your destinies are bound together."

The programmer chuckled. "I guess that's fitting for a communal soup," he stated, leaning back on his elbows to better view the stars above. "Small towns are kinda like that, so I guess you're stuck with all of us now," he teased.

Brows knitted, Violet took a deep breath and popped one of the two pieces of star fruit into Sebastian's open mouth. She then immediately ate the last slice and swallowed.

"What the -!" Sebastian shouted in surprise, though he did not spit out the juicy slither of fruit. "What do you think -?" He stopped mid-sentence at the sight of Violet's reddened face and quickly realized he did not need to finish his question. He already had an answer.

"I-I want to be stuck with you," Violet stammered quietly, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. "Like, _especially_ you," she clarified. She peeled open her eyes and glanced at side-on. "You… don't have to eat it," the farmer told Sebastian. "I just… thought that this would be a good way to let you know how I feel about -"

Unfortunately, Violet was interrupted by a loud voice of complaint and the sound of footsteps on the docks behind them. "Yo, Vi!" Zach hollered over to his little sister. "I want to leave now. Take me back to your hovel of a farm!" the blond demanded.

"Can't you walk back yourself?!" the young woman shot back, furious that her older brother always found a way to ruin things for her.

The blond came closer into the faintly glowing light of the lamp overhead. "Sure, if you want me to fall and break my neck. Then mom would have to come out here to collect my tragically young body."

Violet could recognize the thinly veiled threat and cursed under her breath. "Go to the bridge!" she instructed her sibling, rising to her feet and pointing toward the northern end of the beach. "I'll meet you there in like, five minutes."

Without any further conversation, Zach turned on his heel and left for the stone bridge to wait. Sebastian asked Violet a question. "Do you want me to go with you?"

She shook her head furiously. "No, the last thing I need is Zach asking you a whole bunch of questions." Violet's fists were clenched, but she exhaled deeply to calm herself. She sat on her shins facing him, the confidence from her fury at her brother quickly receding. "This isn't exactly how I thought this would go…" she confessed softly.

"Hey…" Sebastian opened his mouth and pointed to emphasize that it was empty. "I… wanna tie myself to you, too." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Not like - literally," he backpedaled immediately. "Well, unless you're into that and wanna try it?" He slapped his forehead and hid behind his hand. "No, that came out wrong!"

Violet cut him off by gently reaching out and pulling his hand away from his face. "Thanks, Sebastian," she said earnestly, the color on her face pink as the coral near the nearby tide pools.

She leaned her face in toward him and Sebastian instinctually whipped his head in the direction of the movement. Violet pressed her lips against him and immediately pulled away, completely mortified when she realized she accidentally kissed the corner of his mouth. She sat facing the opposite direction so he would not see her horrified expression. "I meant to kiss your cheek," she informed Sebastian. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that without asking!" she apologized before she made her escape toward the stone bridge to meet Zach.

Sebastian's elbows gave way underneath him and he laid in the creaking boards of the dock for a moment. There was something on the edge of his mouth where Violet had kissed him. It had a sweet and sour flavor. Violet's lips tasted like star fruit tonight...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author Notes:
> 
> *Hears the squeals of the readers from my computer.* Ah, yes, the wind to fill the sails of our main ship...
> 
> I'm sure people are excited something finally happened, even if it was an accident. ;D
> 
> Fun fact: The last scene in which Violet kisses Sebastian in the wrong place on his face because he RUDELY MOVED is very loosely based on my first kiss with my spouse. I was so embarrassed, but it makes for a good, wholesome kind of awkward. And it all worked out in the end anyway, right?
> 
> Additionally, I've received a few PMs from readers asking whether I have a Patreon account to which they can donate.
> 
> I am flattered, really I am! And while I fully support funding the arts, I just feel strange accepting people's money when basing this all off of characters that do not technically belong to me, even if I have fleshed them out in my own way.
> 
> By all means, do not feel obligated but, if you insist, I have finally figured out an alternative: Ko-fi, the online tip jar! My username there is the same as here. Just search my username to find my account. Please no more than $10 total for the lifetime of this fic. Keep yo' money! There's a global pandemic going on and I do this to keep the existential dread at bay. D:
> 
> Awkward ramble: Complete!


	18. Branching Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maru delights in Sebastian's newfound ability. Zach conducts some business in town. Alex shares a little about his insecurities regarding Maru. Violet visits the Junimos. Eshra Talla finds a snack.

Violet cursed her brother quietly the whole way home for yanking her away from the beach so early. What made things worse was that Zach was clearly smug knowing he had interrupted something - even if he did not know what - and she was not about to give him the satisfaction of knowing. When the siblings reached the farmhouse, the weasel quickly retreated to his own house for the night, citing exhaustion from his travels. "It really takes it out of you to drive all the way here and then be an ambassador for good taste in this tiny town," Zach chuckled as he disappeared down the stone trail toward the guest house.

The farmer let out a cry of frustration once she was sure Zach was well out of ear-shot. Violet had too much energy to work off - both frustration and otherwise - so the young woman decided she may as well make use of the rest of the evening.

After quickly hoeing a small plot - perhaps a bit more aggressively than she would normally - the farmer rummaged through her wooden boxes to find the star fruit seed that Gunther had given her in exchange for the items she found with the gang on their last trip to the mines. Creating a mound, Violet poked a hole with her forefinger and dropped the content of the seed packet inside, folding another layer of rich soil over it before giving it a good drink of water. The whole process made Violet feel more relaxed, even if her mind was still reeling from what happened at the end of the pier. What would have occurred if Zach had not interrupted?

"I hope that was okay," Violet thought aloud, remembering the glimpse of Sebastian's surprised face she spied before turning the other way out of sheer embarrassment. Sure, the young woman had mentally prepared herself to kiss Sebastian, but not on the lips! Wait did just the corner of his lips count as a kiss?

Sitting on the top stair of her porch, the pastel-haired farmer glanced up at the slither of the moon. "I'm such a mess," she breathed wearily. Her dark blue eyes glanced toward the stone trail that led to the new guest house. "And of course you had to ruin the moment!" she growled in Zach's general direction, thrashing her legs before flopping backward to lie on the porch. Bruno, who sensed something was wrong, quickly took advantage of the situation to lay his head on her stomach to request his human stroke his ears to calm herself. Violet gazed up at the night sky and wondered what Sebastian was thinking right now.

* * *

It was late into the evening when Maru realized she had not heard her family member come back from the Luau. She hoped Sebastian was okay, but after the incident with Shane, Maru was not about go back to sleep without checking first-hand. Sitting up in her bed, the young woman grabbed her glasses from the flat top of her headboard and put them on so she could better see. It was a dark night, so it was hard to see at first, but after her eyes adjusted Maru found her way down the hall, passed the lab, and to the door that led to her brother's room below.

The stairs creaked as she descended, but she did not think the sounds would be loud enough to wake her parents. Maru decided she would take a quick peek inside and make sure everything was alright. She hesitated at the door at the bottom of the stairs and pondered for a moment. _Perhaps I should knock…_ she thought to herself quietly. _In case the reason he snuck in so quietly was because he had a guest._

Maru rapped on the door gently. "Sebastian, did you get home safely?"

There was a brief pause before her brother answered. "Yeah, I'm home. Why are you bothering me so late?"

"I didn't hear you come in tonight," she replied honestly. "I worried about you." She heard a rustling from the other side of the door and jumped slightly as it swung open to reveal her exhausted older sibling.

"That's the second time you've mentioned that lately..." Sebastian informed his sister, annoyed by the late hour of her interruption. Not that he was sleeping anyway. "And yet I've been here both times." Sebastian sighed exasperatedly. "Quit keeping tabs on when I come and go. It's weird," he ordered her. "And if you want to talk, you're going to have to think of a better excuse."

Maru blinked behind her ruby red frames. "I used to hear when you came in at night and now I don't…" she responded, but she trailed off as something clicked. The young woman grabbed her brother's wrist and pulled him along upstairs. "We need to try something!" she announced excitedly, ignoring Sebastian's grunt of protest.

"What are you doing, Maru?" Sebastian whispered, trying to keep his feet beneath him as she dragged up to the main floor of the house.

"An experiment!"

While Sebastian originally was irked that Maru felt the need to test her hypothesis immediately, the two siblings did make an interesting discovery. Sebastian did not make any noise when he entered the house through the front door. The squeaky hinges did not grind in their usual protest, the bell to announce customers did not chime, even when Maru observed it physically being triggered as Sebastian entered and exited the house. After about a dozen times, the scientist was satisfied her hypothesis was confirmed – at least for now.

Even in the dark, Sebastian could see the bright sparkle in his sister's umber eyes. If he were not so fascinated in this newly discovered ability himself, he might think Maru was more excited about it than him. "I was already intrigued when you froze my pencil to demonstrate your ability…" the apprentice researcher admitted, "but this is something entirely different."

"Well, yeah…" Sebastian shrugged. "Ice is something physical."

Maru shook her head to correct him. "No, the bell should produce a sound wave that interacts with your ear to alert your brain of the auditory stimulus. It's a still physical phenomenon, but in this case caused by air pressure," she explained. "With this ability, you are somehow _negating_ the process or masking it in some manner." She pointed the eraser of her pencil toward her older brother. "Whereas with the ice, you were creating something both tangible and observable to the human eye."

Sebastian smirked, leaning against the wall. "You're really geeking out over this, aren't you?"

A small smile crept onto Maru's face. "When I am not 'geeking out?'" she countered, still furiously scribbling notes on her writing pad.

Her brother had to laugh at that comment. "Fine," he conceded, "but you seem _especially_ excited by all this."

Pausing for a moment, Maru considered Sebastian's statement. "This is something completely unexplained by science as we know it and I'm the first to get a chance to crack it," she informed her sibling enthusiastically. "And as far as we know, it's something only you can do. My brother has a unique ability that no one else does and I couldn't be more proud." Maru flipped the cover back onto her notebook and grinned at him. "Besides, it gives us a chance to bond."

Sebastian feigned disgust. "Ugh, you're just thrilled you get a human guinea pig who might actually consent to some of your weirder and morally questionable research trials."

Maru returned the teasing with her own. "I'll make sure to limit the potential risks to maiming."

Surprisingly, Sebastian chuckled at this before excusing himself to return to bed. "Night, Maru," he yawned, stretching his arms over his head. "This actually helped me feel sleepy, so thanks," he added before disappearing down the stairs. Maru beamed happily as she watched him go. While circumstances were odd, Maru admitted that it was moments like these that finally made her feel like she had a big brother and not a moody roommate who happened to share some DNA. She sincerely hoped Sebastian felt they were getting closer, too.

* * *

Zach awoke the next morning bright and early, ready to start the business day. Normally, he would go for a run before work, but the visitor to the valley did not know the best pathways through town and he may as well wait for that trainer girl's route to do his timed run anyway. And while he would never admit it, Zach had slept in a bit this morning compared to his normal schedule in the city. All the trees around here made for especially restful sleeping. Once he got used to the sounds of crickets over city traffic, the blond slept like the dead.

Tightening the silk argyle tie around his neck, Zach opted to wear his glasses over contacts today. They made him look more mature and his clients were on the elderly side today, so anything he could use to his advantage would be worthwhile. If his clients did not respect his authority as a legal professional, he may as well not show up.

The lawyer was glad he brought his own mini electric kettle and coffee press. Otherwise, he would not be able to function this morning. How did Violet live without a kitchen for so long before he intervened? Zach shivered at the thought of the barbaric manner in which his little sister lived in this ridiculously small town. It didn't even have a stop sign, let alone a real road upon which to drive.

However, his little sister's inheritance did have one thing going for it: quiet. Zach pulled his kitchen chair out onto the porch to enjoy his coffee in the early morning sunshine. The enormous trees filtered most of the light, but the lawyer could feel his tense body relaxing itself as he closed his eyes and listened to the birdsong and inhaled the sweet smell of pine in the air. Zach was almost alarmed by how refreshed he felt even after just a night on the farm. "Maybe a trip or two a year to check on Vi wouldn't be so terrible," he mused to himself. He did have his own place, after all.

He should probably tell Violet she would need to find someone to live here most of the year in case the agricultural society decided to check that their funds were in fact being used as intended. Zach shrugged. "Eh, she'll figure it out," he grinned to himself. "If she goes to jail for tax fraud, I suppose I could bail her out. It'll be worth the laugh."

Finishing the last dregs of his black coffee, Zach returned inside with his chair and refilled his thermos with the last of the brew. The sandy blond decided to leave it on the table for later. Besides, little old ladies always offered their guests something to eat. It would be rude of him not to indulge her.

* * *

The smell of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafted from the kitchen into the living room, tempting George away from the television for a moment. Maneuvering his wheelchair, the bald man entered the kitchen to find his wife pulling the first batch out of the oven. "It's too early for sweets!" he chided Evelyn, but the woman only smiled.

"We're expecting a guest this morning, remember dear?" the elderly woman reminded her spouse, adding another tray of raw cookie dough into the open maw of the oven.

George eyed the cooling cookies and went to snatch one for himself, despite his insistence that it was too early in the day for such treats. "Eh, that lawyer kid," he grumbled. His asbestos fingers did not feel the heat, but his tongue did as he took a bite. The man flailed slightly, huffing air through his mouth to cool the steaming cookie.

Evelyn pretended not to notice for the sake of her husband's dignity. "We haven't updated our will since Clara died," the grandmother stated solemnly. "So we may as well take the opportunity when it presents itself, George."

"These 'professionals' just keep getting younger and younger," George complained, blowing on the molten chocolate chips before daring to take another bite.

"I believe that's just us getting old, dear," Evelyn chuckling quietly, wiping her hands on her apron. A rapping came at the door and her lips drew back toward her hears. "Oh, that must be him now!" she asserted, heading for the front door. "I suppose I ought to let him in."

* * *

Zach milled through the pile of paperwork that Evelyn presented to him, trying to discern what files from the mound were necessary for their purpose. "So, Evelyn… Herschel was your first husband and George initially inherited this house from him?" the sandy blond inquired to the elderly woman across the table. "I have to say I've never seen a will in which a man implores his best friend to move into his house and marry his wife," the well-dressed man confessed, scanning the aged, hand-written testament.

"We never actually got to the wedding before poor Buck succumbed to illness," Evelyn informed the lawyer. "Some kind of bird flu…" She reached her hand out to rest on her husband's, "But Buck was so thoughtful and had already prepared for the worst in a will of his own before passing."

"Herschel was a good man," George added with a thoughtful nod. "And a man couldn't have asked for a more loyal friend…"

Zach did his best to tread carefully. Geezers loved to reminisce, but they did have business to finish if they were going to stick to their agreed upon compensation. While the man did not intend to charge the elderly couple what he would his city clients, he had to make sure not to undersell his services.

"Alright, so Herschel left his beautiful young fiancée Evelyn some money after his untimely demise," Zach clarified, shuffling the stack of documents until he found what he wanted. "But since you could not inherit without a spouse, the two of you married." Zach's brow furrowed, "Property laws at the time were still rather sexist," he noted out loud. The women always loved to hear the acknowledgement that the law treated them unfairly.

His green eyes scanned the table, surveying the tabletop for the next version of the deed. "But I see you rectified that some decades later," Zach said, plucking the most current version of the deed and adding it to his organized stack.

"Now as for Alex's situation. Was that a full adoption or legal guardianship after your daughter…" he glanced down at the death certificate to double-check himself, "Clara passed?"

George frowned deeply, emphasizing the creases in his weathered face, "Alex is our grandson whether or not a damn sheet of legalese says. We don't need the government to tell us."

Zach grimaced and leaned back in his chair as he held up his arm defensively. "I meant no offense Mr. Mullner, I just want to make sure we're on the same page here when I draft your will."

Evelyn smiled at their guest. "Don't mind George," she assured him. "He scalded his tongue so he's a bit grumpy this morning."

The blond beamed charmingly toward the lady of the house. "And your cookies are to die for, Evelyn," he complimented the elderly woman as he took a bite. They were so warm and chewy. Yoba, he missed having a grandmother. When he finished, he wiped his hand on a napkin and pulled his ink pen from his front pocket. "So you want everything to go to your grandson, correct?"

The couple nodded in confirmation. "We'll also need to discuss care for you, Mr. Mullner, should your wife pass on first," the blond added seriously. "Will Alex be your caretaker?"

Shaking his head, George spoke up. "No, we've discussed some… _options_ with Doctor Harvey," the old man explained. "I don't want the kid to spend his best years caring for his old grandpap." Zach bobbed his head and made a notation to get the official plan from either Evelyn or with their permission – Doctor Harvey himself – before he left.

"And who do you want to be the executor of your will?"

George scratched the thinning grey hair on the side of his head. "We were… hoping we could get you to agree to it, ki-" Evelyn's bony elbow connected with George's ribcage and the man immediately took the hint, "young man."

Zach's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You didn't have anyone else in mind prior to this?"

Evelyn exhaled deliberately. "Well, dear, we originally wanted to appoint Mayor Lewis, but…" she paused, tapping her gums together as she searched for a diplomatic way of expressing herself. "We have reason to suspect he does not use the town's funds _properly_ ," she explained. "So we worry that Alex might not see all the money we leave him."

Now this caught Zach's interest. "I won't decline if that's what you really want," he promised George and Evelyn. "But I would feel much better knowing if I could have cleared up any misunderstandings between you and the Mayor…"

George rolled his eyes. "The town hasn't seen any improvements for at least a decade - maybe even two!" he told the lawyer. "So where the hell do all our taxes go? It sure doesn't all go toward the town festivals."

Evelyn chimed in with a complaint of her own. "And then there are those gaudy gold statues." She shook her head. "While the community center was left to rot and the local bridges have fallen to bits."

Zach threaded his fingers and rested his chin upon them as leaned in closer over the kitchen table. "Tell me more…"

* * *

Alex sighed heavily, facing the birch shelf in his room filled with books. He planned on going to the beach to work out like he did most morning, but today he found himself questioning things. He wanted to impress Maru for once – and not just with his athletic ability or level of improvement. But it was so difficult to look smart in front of someone who already seemed to know everything.

A knock at the door alerted Alex to a guest in the house. "Oh, hi Zach…" Alex greeted the blond as man poked his head inside. The frown on the jock's face remained unchanged.

The lawyer sauntered into the room, eyeing Alex's choice of bedroom décor. "Why the long face, kid?"

Bristling only slightly at being called "kid," Alex gestured hopelessly at the shelves in front of him. "Look at all these books," he ordered the farmer's relative. "I haven't read a single one." His mouth twisted in anguish. "Just the _thought_ of cracking one open makes me nervous."

Zach did not laugh at him for saying that, so the brunet went on. "But you can't make a decent living in this world without a brain…" he conveyed to the lawyer, who undoubtedly was incredibly smart to have such an important job. "I'm worthless…"

There was a pause before Zach finally said something. "Do you want advice or comfort?"

Alex blinked in surprise and simply stared at the man standing in his room. Sighing, the blond waved a hand in his general direction. "We all have our strengths and weaknesses," Zach began. "Now, I don't disagree that you're going to need a back-up to fall on once you're gridball career is over – even the best can't play the game forever," the suited man admitted. "But I've seen plenty of people without a brain make more than a decent living through some combination of celebrity, charisma, and nepotism."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Alex acknowledged, at least in part. He did not feel better about his future just yet.

The blond's emerald eyes focused on the brunet. "Trust me, I can tell you're not a Neanderthal. Give yourself some more credit," Zach insisted. "You've definitely got the discipline to keep up a training regimen, so you'll be able to take that and apply it to whatever the hell you want in the future. Books or no books."

That was convincing enough for Alex. "Well, I'm not going to give up!" he proclaimed, turning back to the book shelf and picking one up at random. "If I work hard, I can do anything!"

"That's the spirit," Zach praised the athlete, examining the book in Alex's hands. He winced. "Eh, maybe not that one, though," the man hissed.

One of Alex's eyebrows rose curiously. "What the hell was that about?"

"Machiavelli leaves a bad taste in my mouth," Zach responded with a look of disgust on his face. "Ambition and competition are good up to a point…" his words drifted off, as if he were lost in thought.

Alex wondered what was on his mind, but also did not want to pry into a practical stranger's personal life. "Hey, maybe one day soon we'll have dinner and discuss… phil-lo-so-phy," the brunet suggested. "Isn't that what you smart people talk about?"

Zach scoffed. "Well, that's true enough. Even if it's not discussed directly, you can tell a lot about a person's beliefs from the way they act and treat those around them." The farmer's brother eyes Alex curiously. "Why the sudden interest in what 'smart people' do?"

"I… want to be able to talk to Maru on her level," Alex hesitated to admit. "I want her to see me as more than just the guy she's helping out." The jock groaned, trying to better articulate his feelings. "Maru's so different from the girls I've hung out with before," Alex clarified. "And even though she's way smarter than me, she doesn't make fun of me for it." He glanced back toward the bookshelf. "I wanna try to get somewhere where we can both talk about gridball _and_ space, or robots, or philosophy or whatever the hell else she wants."

"Sounds like you're really making an effort for this girl," Zach observed aloud. "You must really like her."

Alex grinned as he chuckled in response. "Yeah. Who would've thought?" He placed the discarded book back on the upper shelf.

The blond exhaled theatrically. "You're too young for me anyway," Zach stated, feigning a lack of interest. "What are you, like eighteen?"

The brunet took offense, "I'm not a teenager!" he spat. "And what are you, like forty?"

Zach was legitimately offended by the extra decade tacked on. "I'm thirty, you punk. And I can outrun you any day of the week."

"Bring it on, old man!"

"For the last time, thirty is not old. And you are acting like a child!"

Evelyn smiled as she washed the last dish from breakfast. George sat at the table, enjoying the last of his oatmeal. "Oh, they sound like you and Buck when you used to fight," she cackled quietly, placing the dish on the rack to dry.

George smirked. "Those were the good old days…"

* * *

Violet finished her morning chores and still Zach had not returned to the farm. Figuring her older sibling was more than capable of entertaining himself should he return before she did, the farmer added her crops to her pack and headed toward town to sell them.

Business with Pierre went about as well as usual and with the relative success of the starfruit Violet bought from him for the communal soup, the bespectacled man was more intolerably smug than usual. Violet sold all but one each of the crops the Junimos requested and bought a few replacement seeds. On a Friday, she thought it was best to save the majority of her money until she was sure Talla did not have anything exceptional in her inventory this weekend.

So, once she was finished at the General Store, Violet headed north toward the dilapidated Community Center to see the local forest spirits. Whipping her head around to make sure no one was watching, the farmer opened the door and was immediately greeted by a swarm of smaller Junimos. "Flower Lady!" they cried happily as they climbed all over her.

Their slender limbs tickled her skin. "Stop it!" she giggled. "I don't want to drop you."

Obediently, the forest spirits hopped off and held up their twiggy arm to accept the goods she brought. The smallest apple-like creatures cheered with excitement when one of the larger Junimos pointed toward the hut and said something too quickly for Violet to comprehend.

Moments later, the bushel returned with what appeared to be a sprinkler and several stood on one another's shoulders to hand it off to Violet. "Thank you!" Violet articulated appreciatively as she admired the tool. The farmer would have to play around with this one to see how it worked and once she had enough of them, her morning chores would not take nearly so long. The thought of more free time thrilled her.

Violet knelt down on the old creaky board of the building and requested a favor from the Junimos. "Talla told me that I could give you commands, but I don't know what you can do," she paused briefly, "Or… what _I_ can do." She beamed as the Junimos' beady black eyes gazed up at her. "Can you teach me?"

Several of their mouths immediately squealed with delight as they pulled her by the pinky toward the front door. "Oh, okay! We're going outside to do whatever it is forest spirits do," Violet laughed, trying to keep up without falling over from leaning so far forward as she walked.

* * *

Eshra Talla stood, or more accurately, sat in a barrel full of sea water in her cart, staring up at the blue sky as she sang a sea shanty of which her father was particularly fond. Supposedly his singing it as homage to her mother is what drew her to him in the first place, but she never confirmed the tale. She would only smile coyly in response and expressed that her daughters might someday understand when they were older. The syren doubted it.

Lost in thought, the demigoddess was caught off-guard when she caught the scent of two men close by. Though her father forbade her from eating any of the men in town that did not mean she could not scope out potential meals should she happen upon them elsewhere.

And so, Talla sang. It was the first melody she intoned after her hatching. About a love lost to the battlefield of war and the widow's tears flooding the local lake so that it then connected to the sea. It was meant to teach the audience to seek her Mother for comfort. She always speculated where the tune originated, and if she was the first to perform it or if the song was older than syrens themselves.

Soon, the sea monster in disguise noticed a pair of men approach her cart. One was far bolder than the other and began with a flirtatious statement. "Well, I see we've stumbled upon the most beautiful woman in the world," the sandy-haired male cooed with a flash of his white teeth.

Eshra did everything she could to restrain herself. Even in the air, where her sense of smell and taste were dulled, the syren knew that this man had broken many hearts – both female and male – and would taste absolutely exquisite. She dug her claws into her scaled thigh with one seemingly human hand and reached the other out to greet the newcomer.

"I am Talla, the traveling merchant," the syren introduced herself tilting her head to one side so that her curly hair fell to one side, exposing her neck. "What might I call you?"

The emerald-eyed man grinned foolishly and she knew then that he took the bait. "You can call me whatever it is you want, miss," he answered with a wink and a firm handshake. Eshra tasted his flesh from the contact of their skin and it was indeed the most decadent flavor she had sampled in at least a century.

"Well, then. Aren't you delicious?" she crooned, biting her lips suggestively. She had this man's attention. She did not need the other male that accompanied him. If only she could lure the blond inside her cart, away from the other humans long enough to –

"Talla, no eating Zach!" her distant relation's voice shouted from across the clearing.

Eshra withheld a growl when Violet approached and smacked the man's hand away from hers. The brunet behind him also appeared confused at the farmer's outburst.

"Vi, there's no need to get between a man and a woman at a time like this," the lean man called Zach complained, though he did his best to tone down his annoyance in front of others. This man clearly cared about appearances.

Eshra looked down at Violet disdainfully. "Hello, cousin," he smiled through her teeth.

It was this comment that broke the spell, much to the syren's lament. "C-Cousin?" the blond coughed, taking a step back from the beautiful teal-haired woman and her cart.

Violet spoke sweetly to her sibling, "Yes, Zach. This is our _cousin_ , Talla."

The sea creature did her best to salvage the situation. "A very _distant_ cousin, little flower," Eshra shot back, but she could tell now that there was no going back. The male was already repulsed by the very idea that he found himself physically attracted to one of his own kin.

"Well, damn," Zach huffed. "My apologies, Talla. I had no idea." He glanced back at the brunet who came with him and made a hasty retreat. "I have some things to do, but it was nice to meet you," he uttered before turning and making a run for it.

"You totally hit on your cousin," the spiky-haired one snickered as the two jogged back toward town. Zach pushed him, but the bulkier of the two manage to keep his balance as they disappeared through the trees.

Eshra exhaled deeply. "You cost me a meal," she accused the farmer bitterly. "You had better buy something to make up for the loss."

Violet laughed nervously, "Uh, sure, Talla. Let's see what you've got…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author notes: This chapter took a little longer than usual for two reasons: 1) I wrote out several scenes, hated them, and had to start over. 2) My kiddo's birthday is this week and I can't believe how big she is now. T.T


	19. Interrogations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey chats with Eshra Talla. Violet and Zach clash as siblings do. Elliott accidentally gossips too much in front of Zach, which results in the lawyer challenging Sebastian. Abigail and Sam share a moment. Sebastian gets even with Violet.

Harvey lingered along the tree line, wondering if he should venture into the clearing to speak to the traveling merchant. He observed the body language of Talla and the blond man that stood with Alex and realized that the vendor showed intense interest in the newcomer. The clinician was not sure why it bothered him, but the feeling quickly evaporated when Violet burst onto the scene.

Harvey caught the name "Zach," so the local medical professional assumed Violet must know the man somehow. Either way, whatever flirtations between Talla and the striking blond had initially occurred immediately ceased. What in the world did Violet say?

Doctor Harvey began to wonder if he should come back another day, but he did not have to wait much longer for the trio to leave. Alex and Zach left first, and the bespectacled man was able to catch that the jock was teasing the taller man about his flirting, which earned Alex a shove, but not much else. Violet appeared quite enthused about something in Talla's shop, eagerly handed over her payment, and dashed off. Once the coast was clear, Harvey decided to make his presence known.

"Good afternoon," he greeted the foreigner cautiously. Talla hardly turned to face him, but her loose curls framed her face, which bore a look of annoyance. Harvey instantly regretted his choice to approach. He swallowed nervously, but upon noticing him, Talla's scowl softened.

"Hello Doctor," the vendor replied with a sigh. She sniffed in amusement. "I have seen more people in the last hour than I usually do on a whole weekend."

Harvey pursed his lips together under his mustache. "I hope I have not caught you at a bad time," he said apologetically. "I can always come back later."

The woman shook her head. "No, no," she insisted. "I am only here for two days a week, it would be bad business to close shop because of a spoiled meal." Talla leaned over the counter and handed Harvey her inventory list without asking if he wanted to buy anything.

"May I ask what you mean by that?" Harvey inquired, adjusting the tie around his neck with his forefinger as he perused Talla's inventory.

A heavy sigh escaped from the dejected woman. "That man was going to treat me to a meal," she explained, her sea-blue eyes darting in the direction the runners disappeared. "But once he found out we were related, he lost interest."

"What?" Harvey exclaimed. "If anything, he should have insisted on treating you since you're family," he asserted firmly.

His commentary brought a smile to Talla's lips. "My sentiments exactly," she agreed. Talla gesticulated toward the doctor. "I can see _you_ understand how to behave properly."

Harvey chuckled, embarrassed by the compliment. "Oh, it's just common courtesy," he responded. "Maybe I'm strange for saying so, but I believe a good physician needs people skills in addition to their medical knowledge to better help their patients."

Talla nodded to concur. "Then I am sure you do quite well." She wrung her hands in front of her before she made a request. "Doctor, I have been curious about something for a while and I wonder if you might help me…"

"Oh, o-of course," Harvey stammered in reply. The practitioner contemplated for a moment what question the foreign woman might have for him. Did she need him to diagnose an ailment? Was she injured? He had little time to conjecture before the teal-haired trader spoke up.

"May I try on your glasses?" she asked, tilting her head curiously to better see them from different angles. "I have not encountered many who wear such things in my travels and I am intrigued by them."

Harvey was not sure what he expected, but it was certainly not this. The request caught him completely off-guard. "Uh… s-sure!" the brunet answered, gently removing his spectacles from his face and offering them to the merchant.

Talla gingerly accepted the glasses and slid them on her face. She wobbled slightly as she stood upright and looked around the clearing. "Everything's so blurry…" she observed aloud. "Why would one wear these?"

The general practitioner chuckled. "They only help a person see if their vision is already poor," he elucidated. "The curve of the lenses makes up for the weakness of the eyes to correct a person's vision."

Turning her gaze toward Harvey, Talla flashed a wide smile, exposing her perfect white teeth. "You look like a topsail catfish…" the woman proclaimed, her amusement clear in the twinkling tone of her laughter.

"I have to admit that is the first time someone has likened me to anything aquatic," Harvey chuckled half-heartedly, wondering if Talla had insulted him. Her eyes looked different through the curved glass, though he realized only as Talla removed them. She blinked several times and shook her head to allow sea-blue eyes to adjust back to normal before returning the glasses to their rightful owner.

Talla drummed her fingers against the counter of her cart, considering the experience. "Glasses are not for me," she said decisively. Scanning his face, the syren in disguise felt the need to amend her observation. "I consider catfish endearing sand-skimmers, Doctor. It is a compliment."

Harvey wondered if his expression was really so readable, but the comment did help him relax a bit. "Thanks for the clarification," he said earnestly. He paused briefly before adding. "You said you no longer have dinner plans this evening and I think that's a terrible shame," the medic stated. "Could I interest you in dining with me?" Harvey could not tell what Talla was thinking from her blank expression, so he amended the offer. "I made too much summer salad and I would hate for it to go to waste."

In response, Talla frowned before she posed her own question. "Do you not have anyone else with whom you wish to dine tonight?"

"I don't actually have any friends in town," Harvey admitted hesitantly. "I try to keep things professional, so I'm really only on friendly personal terms with my assistant, Maru."

Talla appeared puzzled from the furrowing of her brow. "And this 'Maru' is not available to share a meal?"

"She's… probably busy," Harvey informed the businesswoman. "Besides, she's much younger than me and I think she's seeing someone. It wouldn't be appropriate."

The woman's eyes flickered with recognition. "Ah, so it is an unrequited affection you harbor for her."

Harvey's eyes widened, further emphasized by the lenses in front of his face. "I-I wouldn't go so far as to call it that!" he cried defensively, whipping his head back and forth to make sure no one was around to overhear.

Talla laughed, the golden accessories on her body producing a soft ringing sound as her body shook with amusement. "Do not worry, Doctor. Your secret is safe with me." She offered him a hand to shake. "I accept your offer. Meet me here when the sun goes down," Tall instructed the local. "I will provide a wine of good vintage."

* * *

Violet could not believe her luck when Talla had a large jug of milk and an egg in stock that day. The farmer assumed she would have to wait until she could purchase cows and chickens for herself before she could give the Junimos the goods they requested. Violet quickly paid for the animal products and excused herself from the grumpy syren's presence before heading back toward the Community Center. She decided it would be best to show Talla what the Junimos taught her another time.

Besides, she had a few things to take care of before heading to The Stardrop Saloon that evening. Assuming Zach didn't spoil her plans again. Violet returned home and put the egg and milk in her fridge for cold storage. She could always give them to the forest spirits later.

Violet flopped onto her bed for a moment's rest. She was nervous to see Sebastian again. What if he was mad at her for all the mixed signals? The pastel-haired woman could not blame him, even if what happened last night was an accident. On the other hand, what if he thought this meant she was ready to date right away? _Was she?_ Sure, Violet knew she enjoyed spending time with Sebastian and he was certainly attractive. Hell, he had even given up smoking. Sometimes he was a little abrasive, but he was self-aware enough to apologize for being a jerk.

The former city-girl felt a deep-rooted sense of dread grip her chest. And what if they did date and everything went wrong? What if they ended up hating each other like her parents? Violet could not bear to think of a life without her new friends, especially Sebastian. She worked so hard to build this new life. This was her last shot to do things right this time around. And yet...

The young woman slapped a pillow over her face and smothered herself briefly as she screamed in frustration. Why couldn't things just go as planned for once? Violet felt a lick on her elbow. Bruno was concerned about his human making such noises, even if they were stifled by feathers and fabric. Peeking out from her hiding place, the farmer reached out and pet the fluffy dog to assure him she was okay. Bruno leaned into Violet's hand eagerly and she smiled at him.

"Life is so much simpler when you're a dog, isn't it?" Violet thought aloud as she stroked Bruno's soft fur, making sure to give him a good scratch with her fingernails. The German shepherd's hind leg thumped against the hardwood floor and a low, satisfied whine erupted from his muzzle.

Violet smiled and slid off her bed to engulf Bruno in a hug. "You always know exactly what to say to make me feel better," she laughed. The enormous canine licked her face in reply bowling over his human with the display of affection. "Alright, alright!" Violet giggled, dodging Bruno's tongue as it went straight for her open mouth. "No French kisses for you!"

"I'm surprised you even know what Frenching is, Vi," Zach interrupted from the doorway of her bedroom.

The farmer shot up into a seated position. "What the hell, Zach! At least knock when you come into someone's house!" she shouted angrily.

Zach lowered his eyelids to look down on her condescendingly. "I did, but apparently someone was screaming into a pillow like a child…" His emerald eyes scanned her appearance critically. "Are you going to the saloon dressed like that?"

"What's wrong with my t-shirt and jeans?" Violet demanded defensively. "I wear this kind of stuff all the time."

The blond shook his head, "I changed my clothes to go run circles around Alex earlier and I even changed into fresh ones to grace this town's only social center with my presence," he explained, gesturing to his attire. He had toned down his look from a suit to more of a business casual look, though he kept the cornflower blue tie. Hadn't she given him that tie when he first passed the bar? "You could at least put forth an effort into how you look."

Violet groaned. "Nobody cares in small towns like this!" she complained to her sibling. "We're not in NuNu anymore."

"Well, no wonder the only male you've attracted so far in this town is a dog," Zach smirked, turning on his heels to exit the room and wait for her on the sofa.

The younger of the two growled in annoyance as she sprung to her feet. "Well maybe some of us don't go looking to resolve our mommy issues by hitting on everything that moves!" Violet argued back, following her brother into the main room of the house.

"Ouch, you really wound me, Vi," Zach countered sarcastically, snooping under the couch cushions for anything his sister might be hiding. At first he was disappointed when all he found was a scrap of paper, but his eyes lit as he read it. "You still keep old RPG game notes?" he teased. He paused as he read further. "Wait, why is our so-called 'cousin's' name on here?"

Violet did not realize what he was talking at first, but she snatched away the paper as quickly as she could. When she realized it was notes regarding the magic she encountered since arriving in Pelican Town, Violet tried to play it off just as her brother assumed. "Yeah, these are just old notes from the last game I played with the group before the shit hit the ceiling," she clarified with a lie. "I just re-used the paper since I couldn't find some right away after moving."

This threw Zach off the scent for now. "Speaking of shit," her brother practically spat. "That no contact order with your ex has nearly expired." The blond sat back on the sofa and stared at her intently. "You didn't tell anyone where you were moving, did you?"

Violet's cobalt eyes darted toward the floor. "Only Bex…" she replied quietly. It was not as if she had other friends to really tell anyway.

"Hm…" Zach messaged his chin with his right hand. "I doubt she would tell him where you are," the lawyer conceded. He leaned forward and spoke in a low, serious voice. "But that doesn't mean he won't find out if you aren't careful."

The farmer glanced up at her brother. "I know, Zach. I'm not an idiot."

"I pulled a few strings to get you that no contact order even when the harassment charges were dropped," Zach reminded his sister. "So don't fuck this up."

Violet felt humbled by the reminder of how much her older sibling did for her after she broke up with Kyle. It made her feel guilty. "I… never really properly thanked you for that, did I?"

This surprised her brother. His jaw set in a frown. "I had plenty of reasons to help out, even if you weren't my baby sister," he told Violet, dismissing the apology. There was a brief silence between them and before Violet could form the words she wanted to say, Zach made the first move. Sighing, he slapped his knees and rose from his seat. "Enough about that fucker, go get changed into something nice so I'm not so embarrassed being seen with you, and let's get out of here. I feel like drinking tonight."

* * *

Leah did her best to play it cool when Violet brought her brother along for their typical Friday night dinner. The ginger was not particularly keen on the new addition, but knowing it was temporary made it tolerable.

"I don't normally go for redheads, but I'd make an exception for you," Zach introduced himself with a wink and a handshake.

"This lesbian doesn't normally go for men and will _not_ make an exception for you," Leah countered flatly, though she still shook his hand.

"Duly noted," Zach nodded with a chuckle. The blond did not let the rejection steal the wind from his sails, however and immediately flitted on to complimenting Elliott's attire. Violet grimaced and mouthed an apology for her brother's behavior across the table. Leah shrugged and assured her friend not to worry about it. The woman was used to people hitting on her as an attractive redhead. A lot of people made all sorts of sexual assumptions about gingers. It was both revolting and a general hindrance to having a casual night out at any bar in the city. Things had been easier when she and Kel were still together, even if it also attracted all the pervs who wanted to see two women make out. After the break-up, however, Pelican Town was an escape from all of that.

Leah quickly discovered that Zach enjoyed talking about himself, though she noticed that while he was constantly speaking, the lawyer was careful not to give too much information about himself. The well-dressed man knew how to tell a lot of stories, but none of them necessarily betrayed his own personal thoughts and feelings. The artist wondered if it was because of Zach's occupation or if there was another reason for him to hide behind a wall of jokes and flattery.

Sipping her wine, Leah's grey eyes observed their guest. His clothes appeared expensive, but well maintained. If the sculptor had to guess, he either had his wardrobe dry-cleaned or knew how to properly wash, dry, and press his shirts. Somehow Leah doubted the man had the time, if he worked long hours. Zach had been careful to hide them with both concealer and rimmed glasses, but there were dark circles under his eyes and creases in his forehead.

Leah began to wonder if Zach was thin from his running or from lack of self-care. Perhaps both. She used to have friends a lot like him: the people who burned their candle at both ends trying to make it big in their chosen field. Some of them actually did make it, but at the steep cost of their personal lives. Then there were the few who crashed and burned. Churned up and spat out by the uncaring flow of city life.

It reminded Leah of the picture Violet had shown her last season. The blond hair, the dark circles… Zach and Violet were definitely siblings, but Leah could not help feeling that her new friend would not have lasted much longer in NuNu. The grey-eyed woman glanced at the farmer and smiled. It was good that Violet came to Pelican Town.

"So, Zach," Leah finally chimed into the conversation when a natural lull occurred. "What do you think of the Valley so far?"

"It's got everything a small tourist town really needs: mountains, beaches, attractive locals," he winked. "But it's odd that there are no tourists other than myself."

"The Stardew Valley Fair tends to be the event that really draws people to Pelican Town," Leah explained to the visitor, setting down her empty wine glass on the sturdy wooden table. "A lot of the residents set up displays to sell their goods. It's a big deal."

"And what will you be selling?" Zach enquired the denizens of the small town.

Elliott shook his head, "While I aspire to be an author, my publisher would be irate if I attempted to sell my novel on my own."

"I'm actually thinking of organizing a separate art fair," Leah confessed while glancing at Violet, who initially gave her the idea. The farmer beamed at her.

"Leah, that's awesome!" Violet practically squealed. "Did you talk with Bex about it while she was in town?"

The older of the two women nodded. "Yeah, we had a discussion about it the morning of the Flower Dance." Leah chuckled, "You were still recovering from the night before."

Zach leapt on the chance to hear an embarrassing story about his younger sister. "'Recovering' from what, exactly?" he demanded to know. Leah immediately realized the mistake as the smirk on the blond's face grew as Violet slowly sank in her chair.

"Abigail and I had a few too many shots," Violet elaborated with a pout. "It was fine. Bex made me drink some water and head to bed pretty quickly."

"Then was my source mistaken to inform me that you fell asleep in the tender embrace of Sebastian whilst enjoying a romantic view of the night sky that same evening?" Elliott asked innocently. He heard the story from Leah during the Flower Dance, but had not realized that both the women at the table were currently trying to avoid revealing too many details. Leah attempted to kick him, but instead hit the wooden leg of the table instead. The poet let out a small cry of surprise, still unaware of his wrongdoing before Zach got a bit more information.

The lawyer turned his gaze toward his younger sister. "Sebastian, huh?" he repeated. "Why have I not been formally introduced to this guy?"

"Sebastian is the raven-haired gentleman peering out of the billiard room," Elliott informed their guest. Zach turned to look, only to see a streak of black disappearing from view. The author continued, quite excited to finally have someone new in town who did not know the tale. "They had quite the unorthodox first meeting. I nearly used it as inspiration for my novel, but it did not mesh well with the aesthetic."

Before Elliott could give away any more of Violet's secrets, Leah grabbed her best friend by the ear and dragged him to the bar to refill their wine glasses. "Enough out of you," she ordered in a hushed tone as they went to speak with Gus.

Zach's green orbs settled on his younger sister, who smiled nervously at him. "Elliott always embellishes his stories," she notified her sibling. "He's a hopeless romantic and an author. They kind of go hand-in-hand."

"I see." Without missing a beat, Zach rose from his chair and made a dash for the game room, leaving a dumbfounded Violet to desperately pursue.

"Wait, you can't just ambush my new friends!" the farmer pleaded frantically, tripping over herself in an unsuccessful effort to catch Zach before he reached the trio in the other room.

* * *

Abigail was the first of the friend group to arrive at The Stardrop Saloon that Friday night. As usual, she settled on the blue sofa, waiting for Sam and Sebastian to show up. Violet always started by eating with Elliott and Leah, so the original trio would have some time to discuss before the farmer joined them.

Sam sauntered in not long afterward, his mossy green eyes lighting up as he spied Abigail. Plopping down to sit beside her, he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, and nuzzled his face into her neck. "I like it when you ditch the vest in the summer. You show off more," he nodded approvingly, moving one arm to drape across her lap.

"Sam," Abigail whined, looking around to make sure no one saw them. "We're in public!"

Her boyfriend did not understand the problem. "And?"

Abigail gave Sam a disapproving look. "Didn't your mom complain that we're too touchy-feely when we're out together?"

The skater pouted slightly before releasing the amethyst-haired woman from his grasp. "Fine," he sighed in complaint, dramatically sliding to the opposite end of the couch.

His girlfriend giggled. "You're such a man child!" she accused Sam, who only emphasized her point by hopping up to perch on the backrest instead of the cushioned seat.

"No sense in growing up if it means you can't have fun anymore," her boyfriend responded with a wolfish grin. "Besides, I thought you like me feeling you."

"SAM!" A decorative pillow went flying in his direction and Sam managed to dodge by sliding down the backrest to sit normally. He turned and smirked at Abigail, then comically smooshed his face against hers.

Abigail closed her cerulean eyes and kissed him in return. "Okay, you win," she chuckled as they completely blocked out the rest of the world for a while.

* * *

"Ugh, get a room, you two," Sebastian grumbled as he entered the game room, taking a cue stick down from the rack on the wall and leaning it against the pool table while he set up the balls in the triangle.

"Well, we did have a room to ourselves until someone barged in," Abigail huffed teasingly.

Sebastian did not miss a beat. "You'll get your Love Shack back in a few days, I'm sure."

Abigail's face flushed a ruby red, complementing the jewel-toned pigment of her hair. "Sam, you promised not to tell anyone!" she roared, thinking that her boyfriend told their mutual friend all about their first real night alone.

"I didn't!" Sam cried, dodging the cushion that Abigail had ripped from the couch to attack him. The blond took a defensive position on the opposite side of the billiard table. "I swear, babe."

The dark-haired third wheel chuckled at the scene. "Abigail, chill," he insisted, holding out a hand in the space between the couple. "I literally assumed that what you two were up to when you ran off with the key to the only vacant house in town." He took a sip of the coffee he bought from Gus. "You can even ask Violet to confirm."

Sam peered up from his fortified spot. "See Abi?" he coaxed his girlfriend in a low, soothing voice. "My lips were sealed."

The whole town knew they were together now so it was not exactly a stretch to assume she and Sam were sleeping together, especially for their closest friend. Abigail's lips twisted into a guilty expression. "Sorry, Sam…" she apologized humbly, tucking the cushion back in its place.

Before the couple could properly reconcile, another man entered the game room. It was Zach, Violet's brother. He turned to the younger dark-haired man. "Are you Sebastian?"

"Yeah."

"Are you any good at pool?" the stranger asked pointedly, unbuttoning the uppermost portion of his shirt and tucking his tie into his pocket.

Before he could answer, Sam chimed in. "Sebastian's the best player in town, besides our new ringer over there," he bobbed his head toward Shane, standing between the bar and the hearth.

Sebastian wanted to protest, but Zach quickly snatched a cue stick from the wall and tossed him the chalk. "Alright, Sebastian, show me what you've got."

"Wh-what?" the programmer stammered uneasily. "Why me?" Sebastian wanted to avoid Violet's older brother at all cost after the farmer kissed him. Was he mad and trying to scare him off?

The older man ignored his questions and began to set up for the game. "Anytime someone sinks a ball, they get to ask a personal question and the other person must answer truthfully - no exceptions," Zach proposed. "If one declines to answer a question - they forfeit. Winner gets a favor from the other player."

Violet appeared in the archway between the bar and the game room, glaring at her older sibling. "Zach, don't be an asshole," she demanded. "Leave my friends alone."

Sebastian was not sure what Zach knew already, so he could only guess what kind of answers he wanted and this was his weird way of obtaining them. Zach's deep green eyes did not surrender their full intentions even to a keen observer. As much as the programmer wanted to avoid the situation, there was no escaping now. Sebastian could only hope that his skills could save him.

"Do we wanna flip to see who breaks?" Sebastian questioned. Violet's face went pale.

Zach smirked, realizing that this was an indication that Sebastian meant to participate in the game. "I'll let you break, kid."

He could hear Sam hoot with enthusiasm as he and Abigail took their seat to watch the show that was about to unfold. Sebastian felt a coolness fill him as Violet gave him an encouraging smile. He wanted to make this guy regret that decision.

* * *

Sebastian broke, the cue making contact dead-center and immediately pocketing the purple-striped 12. "What brought you to Pelican Town?"

"What a waste of a question," Zach chuckled as Sebastian lined up his next shot. "Mom wanted me to bring Violet home to NuNu."

The crimson striped 15-ball sank into the side pocket. "And are you going to?" Sebastian queried Pelican Town's only guest, glancing the blond's way before deciding his next shot.

Zach shrugged nonchalantly. "My baby sister is _technically_ an adult. Even if she still acts like a little gremlin, I can't make her go anywhere," the lawyer replied, provoking a scowl from Violet as he rolled up his crisp white sleeves. "If Violet wants to live off the land, growing her own food like a dirty peasant, that's her business."

Sebastian nodded, only half-listening once he realized Zach did not intend to follow-through with his given mission. Lining up the maple cue, the dark-haired man thrust, connecting the ivory-colored ball with the green-banded ball across the table. It dropped into the hole with a small thud.

The corners of Zach's mouth lowered into a frown as he realized that the local ringer might make all his shots before he even got the chance. He leaned against the wall, glowering as he awaited Sebastian's next question.

"If you never meant to bring her home, why come to Pelican Town at all if you hate this place so much?"

A heavy sigh escaped the well-dressed man as he crossed his arms over his chest. "My sister is… Oh, what's a polite way of putting it?" Zach wondered aloud, drumming his fingers against his bicep. He went with an alternative approach to his answer instead. "I needed to make sure Violet wasn't going to get herself stuck in a predicament again. Like with that prick in the city."

"And?" Sebastian followed-up, hoping to sneak a freebie in before he attempted his next shot. He noticed Violet looked downcast at her brother's words, however. He regretted asking, but at the same time, it probably gave Violet a sense of ease to know that Zach was not going to make her move back with him.

But the lawyer caught on too easily. "Nice try, punk," he chuckled. "That'll cost you another successful shot."

Sebastian bobbed his head to acknowledge the statement and made another attempt. The yellow-striped ball fell with a clack into the same hole as the 15 ball. His obsidian eyes met with Zach's sea-green ones. The lawyer rolled his eyes. "While you all seem to be a strangely attractive bunch of twenty-something virgins for a small town, you don't seem like bad people, either."

"Hey, who are you calling virgins?" Abigail snapped from the sidelines, pulling her man closer to her side with a slightly possessive side-hug. Sam tilted his head in confusion that Abigail was so adamantly against the label after the fuss his girlfriend made when she thought he told Sebastian about their tryst in Violet's guest cabin. Not that he was going to complain about it.

Zach's face went blank. "Ah, yes," he granted the couple. "I suppose at least two of you aren't. I can attest to that."

Violet was the one who went red this time, even though she was neither the one who had interrupted her friends when Zach arrived in town nor a member of the couple that had been caught in the act. Second-hand embarrassment was a powerful force.

Despite the slight distraction, Sebastian realized there was no realistic chance to make his next shot. His remaining banded balls were inconveniently placed. The best he could do was to make it harder for Zach, so that became his goal. He noticed the satisfied smirk on Violet's brother's face in his peripheral vision.

Zach sauntered over to the table to prepare for his opportunity. Sebastian felt a lump in the pit of his stomach as the sandy blond flicked the indigo 4-ball sank into the nearest hole below.

"Are you gainfully employed?"

Of course he wanted to know that. Sebastian exhaled slowly, considering how to satisfy Zach's curiosity without sounding like a bum as most people assumed. "I work as a self-taught freelance programmer," he answered, channeling his inner Maru when it came to professional talk. "Work is spotty sometimes, but I know what I'm doing and I'm building up a good rep with my more frequent employers to expand my client base."

The blond nodded, but did not add any commentary of his own before lowering his body to tap the orange orb into its destination. "Do you do any drugs?"

"I occasionally smoke pot or indulge in a brownie," Sebastian rejoined truthfully. "I smoked cigarettes until relatively recently, but I've been using nicotine patches to help me quit." The hoodie-wearer tapped his chest where his current patch rested under his clothing. "My last one is tomorrow, actually..."

"Good for you, kid," Zach congratulated him before successfully connecting and making the next shot as well. Apparently the lawyer did not care about the occasional weed, which eased a bit of the tension Sebastian felt.

However, he grew nervous as Violet's brother considered his next query more carefully. "Do you live alone?"

"I… live with my mom, step-dad, and sister," Sebastian said quietly. "There's… not exactly anywhere else to get a place of your own in town, in case you haven't noticed. And until my job is steadier, I realistically can't afford to live in the city just yet. I'm saving up, though."

"And your biological father?"

The younger man knew that Zach was trying to get more information for free, but Sebastian expected his answer would not satisfy the rules of their game anyway, so he indulged the blond. "I don't know, actually..." Sebastian reacted reluctantly. "Mom promised to give me the full story by the end of the year, but all I really know is that he left when she was still pregnant with me," the black-clad man informed the lawyer. "I don't get why she's so against telling me. If my old man up and left his pregnant wife, he sounds like a shitty guy to me. That's not her fault."

Sebastian noticed reactions from both of the siblings, though he could not tell what was going through each of their minds. "I hope you get your answers, then," was all Zach verbalized before making his next stab at the cue. Whether it was purposeful because Sebastian willingly gave additional information about himself, or if Zach truly missed his next shot, it was hard to say. But it became the Pelican Town native's turn again.

The programmer exhaled with relief as he watched the blue-striped 10-ball drop into the side pocket. Sebastian just needed to think of a good question to ask his opponent. After brief consideration, he snorted. "Tell me about something embarrassing Violet did as a kid."

"HEY!" Violet objected fervently. "That's not fair, you can't ask about _me_!"

Zach ignored his sister's protests and burst into laughter. "Oh, I've got dozens of those," the blond stated with a wide grin. "Let's see, there was that time Violet was completely oblivious when her best friend asked her out her junior year of high school. Bex seriously thought they were a couple for like a week before I had to break it to her that Violet really is that dumb and she may as well give up."

"Bex never - " Violet began to protest, but everyone in the room noticed that the gears in her head began to turn as her eyes glazed over, her mind putting two-and-two together. "No…"

"It was the week of Valentine's Day, you little tease," Zach badgered his sister. "The poor kid seriously thought you had thrown heterosexuality out the window and joined the better team."

Violet went silent as she slowly slid down against the wall and sat on the floor. "Oh, no. I'm a bad friend…"

Sam and Abigail simpered from their seat on the couch. "Oh, V, that's almost as good as Sebastian accidentally picking up that hooker!"

Abigail, who had not heard this story the last time around, nearly went catatonic. "WHAT? How did I not hear about this?!"

Meanwhile, Zach was pleased he was getting free information from the fellow blond. "That's a story I'd love to hear later," he insisted, tipping his cue stick toward the skater.

Sam winked at the lawyer. "Anytime, fam. Just hit me up."

Sebastian, red-faced because his plan to lighten the mood came partially at his expense, decided the best way to de-rail this conversation was to change it himself with a new question. Aiming for the candy-red stripe of the 11, Sebastian tapped the white ball with his cue stick and watching silently as the orb rolled down the length of the table and stopped just barely before making it in. He cursed under his breath as Zach grinned in response.

The blond immediately knocked the green 6 and crimson 7 in simultaneously. Sebastian's eyes widened in a mixture of fear and surprise. Had he been hustled by this lawyer?

"Have you ever been arrested or convicted of a crime?" Zach posed as his first of two questions. When Sebastian confirmed he had not, the blond followed up with the kind of request the programmer had been dreading. "What do you think of my baby sister?"

"I-I…" Sebastian stammered, unsure of how to respond. The lump in his throat seemed to balloon out, causing him to panic slightly as he felt a bit of difficulty breathing. Doing his best to clear his throat, Sebastian made an attempt. "Violet is…" he shuddered, trying to compose himself, "the c-coolest person I've met in a long t-time." Sebastian took a deep, calming breath and closed his eyes to collect his thoughts. "She's weird, but in a good way," he continued. "Like a breath of brisk winter air that gives you hope and energy for some reason, even when things seem bleak."

There was a silence that hung in the air, but Sebastian did not dare continue, nor did he wish to open his eyes just yet. "Well something is clearly wrong with you if you think my dweeb of a sister is the coolest person you've met," Zach finally shot back.

Sebastian peeled one eye open to witness his opponent miss the next shot. The green-eyed lawyer jut his head toward the cue ball, signaling Sebastian to begin his turn. It was then he noticed Violet was gone. His ink-black eyes scanned the bar, searching for her.

"She ducked outside, I think," Abigail informed her friend.

The programmer set his cue stick down and took a step toward the exit. "No so fast, kid," Zach warned him. "You leave now, you forfeit, and owe me a favor of my choosing for my win," he reminded the local.

"Yeah, I know," Sebastian acknowledged as he made his way out of the game room, through the bar, and out into the warm night air.

Zach's posture deflated somewhat. "That's not exactly how I wanted to win," the man muttered under his breath. "Oh well…" He glanced over at the stunned couple on the couch. "He's not coming back is he?"

"Nope," Abigail assured the newcomer, standing up to lead her boyfriend away to chat with Leah and Elliott about the events that just occurred for a while. "Not a chance."

A puff of air escaped his nose as he sniffed in amusement. "Well, may as well get some drinks while I'm here," he announced, clearing the table from his unusual victory. "My sister said something very rude and accurate earlier and I haven't forgiven her for it yet."

* * *

Violet sat on the bottom of the stairs at the entrance of The Stardrop Saloon, crying quietly to herself. After a few minutes to herself, someone threw open the door and rushed out, giving Violet hardly any time to get out of the way. The person stumbled, but caught themselves as the farmer rolled out of the way to give them more space.

"Dammit, Violet," Sebastian shouted in exasperation. "Aren't you the one who told me not to linger in doorways?"

The farmer had to admit that was true. The first night she joined the trio to play pool, she bumped into Sebastian on the same steps. "Sorry…" Violet apologized pitifully.

Sebastian's voice became alarmed when he heard the crack in her voice that indicated she had been crying. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

Violet's eyes had trouble adjusting to the backlighting of Sebastian's form from the bar window, so she could only really see his silhouette for the first few moments of their interaction.

"N-no," she assured her friend. "I just – I've never had a guy say anything so nice about me before!" Violet wailed, "I didn't know how to fucking handle it and I didn't Zach to see me cry!" The woman gently thumped her loosely balled fist on his chest in protest. "Compliments make me happy and deeply uncomfortable at the same time!" she complained.

She heard Sebastian chuckle in the dark in front of her. "Is that all? 'Cause I kinda get that."

Violet sniffed and wiped her deep blue eyes before looking up at Sebastian. "You do?"

The man before her shrugged. "Yeah, I… couldn't really get to sleep last night after you – uh, accidentally kissed me," Sebastian admitted. "I was not sure where we stood, since you seemed kinda… upset by it, I guess?"

The farmer paled. "Oh, no! I wasn't upset that I kissed you – Well, I mean, I felt like I was just going to die of embarrassment because it wasn't where I meant to kiss you. I didn't want to give you mixed signals, so I was going for the cheek, But then you moved and I thought you were going to be mad because I-!"

Sebastian gently placed his hand over Violet's lips to grind the apologetic rant to a screeching halt. "Slow down there," he ordered the pastel-haired woman. "It's okay."

Violet felt the tenseness in her muscles relax as Sebastian slowly lowered his hand. "I'm not mad," he assured the farmer. "Just… confused, I guess?" He glanced down at her. "Was it really so bad?"

The woman shook her head vigorously. "No, of course not, I just…" she sighed. "I wanted our first kiss to be… special." Her eyes widened in fear. "If we were going to have a kiss at all, that is! I wasn't assuming that-"

Sebastian's hand once again found itself softly pressed against Violet mouth. "That's all I needed to hear." His lips stretched back in a small smile. "Thanks for explaining. It helps relieve a lot of the anxiety I've had overthinking things for the past twenty-four hours."

Violet nodded, this time taking Sebastian's hand in her own. "Sorry for that," she expressed regret before asking for clarification of her own. "Did you really mean what you said back there?" she asked. "That I'm cool and weird and cold?" the farmer laughed at the latter word.

The programmer shrugged. "Eh, you got it mostly right."

Nodding, Violet beamed up at Sebastian. "Thank you for putting up with my brother's pushiness," she articulated earnestly. "And being a good sport with his intrusive questions." The woman pouted slightly, "Even if some of it was at my expense."

"I thought it was only fair since Sam spilled the beans about Sapphire."

"Fine," Violet conceded reluctantly with a childish drone, crossing her arms over her chest. "I guess we're even, then."

Sebastian held her shoulders lightly. "Not quite, Violet…" he argued softly, leaning down to plant his lips on her cheek. He stood back up to his full height and smirked at her beet-red face. " _Now_ we're even," he proclaimed, grinning like a fool. The smile that made her weak in the knees.

Before Violet could utter a word, Sebastian's hand twitched in a tiny wave before he disappeared around the corner of The Stardrop Saloon, blending into the shadow beyond the light of the bar. "Goodnight, Violet!" he called from the dark, but the woman still found herself frozen to the spot, her fingers brushing the white-hot skin on the side of her face.

"Y-You planned to do that from the beginning to give me a taste of my own medicine!" Violet roared in the direction Sebastian left. "You can't just do that and leave! Come back and face me, you coward!" she called out after him, stumbling toward the path he took, and shaking her fist toward the mountain. Despite her demands, the only response Violet received was the sound of Sebastian's laughter carried toward her by the warm summer breeze.


	20. Tears and Fears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet seeks Bex's advice. After receiving a birthday gift from Haley, the two discuss why they never dated each other. It's Sebastian's last day of nicotine patches. Violet and Zach spend have a picnic in the name of sibling bonding. Leah tries to wrangle a distraught Haley. Alex and Zach's casual chat about sports slowly becomes a much more serious conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: References of past physical/sexual abuse and trauma in the last segment of this chapter. We're gonna get real here, people. I marked the section with a "TW."

Violet awoke the next day having slept little the night before. The farmer could not decide if she was giddy or furious with Sebastian for kissing her cheek the night before. The brush of his soft lips against her skin felt warm and tender, but his intentions were borne from pure revenge. How dare he smirk like that and run off?! Violet had a perfectly reasonable explanation for the kiss and immediate departure, but Sebastian did it just to tease her! It was infuriating.

Then there was a third part of her that understood why Sebastian decided to make a point out of the situation. A voice in her head screamed that romantic relationships in general were a terrible idea, but Violet could not help but think it would be nice to have someone like Sebastian more… involved in her life. Maybe they could start slow and see where things lead in a natural progression.

But even that was not enough. The kiss, no matter how chaste, made Violet realize she wanted to kiss Sebastian and she wanted to do it properly the next time. But what did that make them? People did not necessarily have to be dating to kiss, but it was a nice precursor. But labeling a normal "hang out" as a date added extra pressure for something to happen.

"Dammit, this is why you kissed me, isn't it?" Violet thought aloud, cursing Sebastian for exacting revenge so simply. The anxiety regarding what to do next was torture.

The pastel-haired woman snatched her phone from her nightstand. ***Bex… something happened.***

***Tell me you used protection. No estoy lista para ser la tía favorita.***

Violet huffed in annoyance. ***He only kissed my cheek! Get your mind out of the gutter.***

***Y cuál es el problema, conejita?***

Violet bit her lip, trying to determine how to best describe her inner battle, but all she could think of was ***I want to do more than that.***

 ***!*** The phone vibrated in Violet's hand and she realized that Bex was calling her. Bracing herself, the farmer answered her best friend. "THEN GO GET YOU SOME! What is stopping you?!" Bex hollered into the phone.

"... I'm scared," Violet admitted softly. "I'm terrified that I might be happy for a while and then fuck it all up somehow and be a depressing husk of my former self." She heard Bex begin to form a rebuttal, but the woman continued. "Bex, when I saw all the old pictures of my parents together, I couldn't help but notice how happy they seemed." Violet felt the tears welling in her eyes and she fought to keep them at bay. "I never saw them like that - not even once," the farmer stated miserably. "And I can't help but wonder if things are just always going to go sour in my relationships, you know? Kyle and I -"

"Don't waste any more of your life thinking about that cabrón, conejita," Bex said firmly, yet soothingly. "Are you really going to let your first attempt at a relationship ruin any other chances you have?" Her best friend did not wait for her response. "When the character you lovingly crafted for our first campaign was brutally murdered by a horde of orcs while bravely defending the rest of the party, did you rage quit and decide the game wasn't worth playing anymore?"

Violet recalled chucking the cursed D20 out the window after she rolled a nat 1 during her saving throw. "No, chica!" Bex reminded her. "You made a new character and got right back in there next session."

"That character was rushed and kind of lazy. I was still heartbroken from the loss of my totally-not-gender-bent-Legolas."

"But you didn't let it stop you from playing with us!"

Bex did have a point. The gang played a lot of great sessions after that, even once that campaign ended. And while her badass elvish ranger Tauriel's death had been a tragic one, things turned out okay playing as Unrol, son of Bouldrumm. His intelligence was shit, but he could take a hit and dish out some serious damage once they got further along the story. Violet continued to enjoy playing tabletop RPGs, even after all that. "I suppose you're right…" the farmer conceded. "But that doesn't make me any less scared that things could go wrong."

"What if things go right?" Bex challenged Violet. "Have you stopped to consider that?"

Violet felt nervous even dreaming of that kind of future, as if it could somehow jinx her already slim chances at happiness. "I'll try…" she promised meekly.

As silence hung in the air between them, the pastel-haired woman decided she wanted some clarity on another part of her past while she had her best friend on the phone. "Bex, did you ask me out our junior year?"

There was a sigh on the other end of the call. "Oh, that? Why are you asking about that now?"

"So you did!" Violet realized in horror, mortified that she had been so oblivious to something so important to her best friend.

"Y eras ajena a mi confesión de amor, tonta!" Bex complained teasingly with a chuckle. "That's all en el pasado. Don't worry about it."

Violet could not help but feel a pang of regret for hurting her best friend, even if it was not her intention. "I just want to let you know that I'm sorry for being so insensitive, Bex."

"All was forgiven ages ago," Bex assured the farmer. "It was probably for the best, anyway. That way, you didn't have to turn me down and I could keep mi dignidad." She laughed loudly, "Besides, I'll manage to fill el vacío en mi corazón somehow…"

"I hear you helped Leah with ideas for an art festival," Violet testified, attempting a change of subject.

Bex dismissed the idea. "We talked about it briefly, but if she needs more information from an experienced organizer-in-chief, she's welcome to contact me again. Be sure to give esa hermosa pelirroja mi número, chica."

Violet chuckled to herself. It seemed her oldest friend was acting normally, so there was probably nothing to worry about. "Sure thing, Bex." She thought for a moment, then asked, "Hey, does Arturo still do commissions?"

* * *

Alex stood at his post, manning the ice cream stand just like he always did each day in the Summer. Saturdays were usually quieter, since Penny did not teach the kids and take them out to play outside the Museum on the weekends. To be honest, the ice cream business was not a busy one, despite the rising temperatures, but Alex was more than happy to collect a paycheck for just standing there and doing body weight exercises until Haley arrived.

This particular Saturday was important to Alex, however. Today was his birthday. Granny would inevitably make his favorite salmon dish for dinner and bake a swirled yogurt cake with chocolate icing. The athlete usually did not make a big deal about the anniversary of his birth, but Alex knew that with each passing year, achieving his dream would be more difficult. The brunet vowed that by this time next year, he would be ready for try-outs no matter what.

Haley showed up as usual to hang out with him while he worked, tossing a brightly patterned gift bag onto the counter. "Happy birthday, Alex," she wished him with a smile.

Alex returned the grin. "You shouldn't have, Haley," he insisted as he began digging into the bag to find out what was inside. His forest-green eyes widened in surprise when he pulled out the jersey. "It's a NuNu Nighthawks jersey!" he exclaimed with excitement. It was ink-black with white lettering and a band on the sleeves to match the stripe on the team's namesake. Alex held it up to his body to determine how well it would fit and nodded in approval. "Thanks, Haley!" he expressed appreciatively. "You're the best friend a guy could ask for!"

Haley shook her head good-naturedly. "You didn't even see the best part," she informed her companion. "Flip it around to the back."

The jock did so and his face broke into a toothy grin. "You had it personalized!" The jersey read "Mullner" in all capital letters, just like the pros. Alex ditched his dad's last name once he was legally permitted to change it on his own. Seeing it there on an authentic jersey brought out a wave of emotion that Alex had not expected to feel. "Aw, c'mere," he ordered, reaching over the ice cream counter to give Haley a hug.

"This is unlike you," the blonde observed, though she still accepted the hug. For a moment, she could have sworn she felt a few tears dampen her shoulder. When they broke away, it turned out to be true.

"You're crying!" Haley gasped. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?" she demanded, rummaging through her bag to find a tissue for him.

The athlete wiped his face on his letter jacket, but still accepted the tissue she offered anyway. "Nah, it's fine, Hay," he assured his friend. "I'm just really happy that I have people who believe in me this much."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Of course, I believe in you, dummy," she replied in feigned annoyance. "You do nothing but train to become a gridball pro!"

"You got me there." Alex acknowledged. He shed his letter jacket and t-shirt, briefly revealing his tanned, well-muscled upper body to don his new jersey. It fit like a glove. "So, you're gonna be sitting front-row at the 50-yard line for my first game, right?"

"Probably critiquing the cheerleaders on their sloppy stunts," she added, sipping on iced lemonade from her sunflower-themed travel cup. "Though if I'm that close to the field, I'm going to need some serious heels to scope out all the players."

"You gonna finally snag yourself a boyfriend?"

Haley's blue eyes flickered toward the brunet. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Alex shrugged. "You were the most popular girl in school, I figured you would have gone out with any guy you wanted." He leaned over to rest his forearms on the counter of his stand. "But you've stayed single for just as long as I have."

The blonde stared at her lemonade, watching the tiny shreds of pulp suspended in the sweet liquid. "Why… didn't we ever go out, Alex?" she asked quietly. "I thought you liked me."

The jock balked at the question. "You know I like you, Haley," Alex answered honestly. "But it's like you said, I'm working toward my dream and I used to think a girlfriend would just be a distraction." His eyes tried to meet hers, but she avoided his gaze. "I didn't even know you wanted to date me."

Haley's face settled into a frown. "People used to call us 'Barbie and Ken,' Alex," she retorted. "And people always assumed we were together anyway."

"You're my friend, of course we hang out." Alex stood up straight and tugged at the hair on the back of his head. "But who cares what other people say?"

"I do!" Haley snapped. "Peoples' opinions matter a lot! Everyone is constantly evaluating each other - who's worth being in their social circle, who's worth their effort, who's worth spending the rest of their life with..." Her jaw set firmly as she trailed off. Haley sighed heavily, then continued speaking. "I always thought that we would finally end up together if I just waited patiently enough for you."

"Look, if you wanted to take our relationship to another level, why didn't you say something?" he asked the blonde.

"The guy is supposed to initiate!" she insisted, motioning to her curvaceous body. "And girls like me shouldn't have a problem getting a guy to notice her, especially her best friend!"

Alex started to get annoyed. "Well how was I supposed to know the stupid rules to these guessing games?"

Haley's coral pink lips twitched, trying to hold back her anger and calm herself. "I-I'm telling you now then, aren't I?" she stated softly, wrapping her arms around body protectively.

The spiky-haired man exhaled, releasing the tension building in his body. "Haley, you're my best friend," Alex began, "and you're gorgeous, don't get me wrong. I just -"

"It's Maru, isn't it?" the woman interrupted, the bitterness in her voice palpable, even to Alex. "You used to think a girlfriend would be a distraction." Alex had not even noticed he phrased it that way himself, but Haley was smart. Way more than anyone ever gave a blonde credit.

Haley did not need words to know, Alex's silence gave her all the information she needed. "We used to make fun of kids like her back in school," the wavy-haired blonde mused aloud, taking a swig of her lemonade reminiscent of a drunk trying to drown his sorrows.

Alex grimaced guiltily. "Yeah, we were jerks back then," he acknowledged. "But I dunno Haley… Maru just makes me feel different," he shared with his best friend. "Not only does she believe in me, but she's really helping me any way she can to achieve my dream." The brunet's lips curved upward in a small smile. "And the way her eyes light up when she's talking about something she's really passionate about - which turns out to be a lot of things, actually," he chuckled upon reflection. "The way Maru talks to me and explains things I don't understand really makes me feel like I can do anything."

While Haley could tell her friend meant what he said and was genuinely happy for him on some level, the young woman could not help but feel heartbroken. "That's great, Alex…" The blonde did her best to fake a smile as she held back her tears. "Then don't let her go, okay?"

The jock, clad in his new jersey, shifted his weight from side-to-side. "I have to get past her dad first," Alex laughed nervously. "He seems like a hard ass."

"Good luck with that one," Haley giggled, but this time Alex could tell from the way her voice caught in her throat that something was wrong.

"Haley, are you -"

The woman interrupted him. "I have to get going now," she lied, gathering up her things. "I'm glad you like the jersey. Make sure you practice in it so you get used to wearing a real uniform." Before Alex could stop her, Haley trotted off down the road toward her house, shielding her face with her forearm so no one would see her tears.

* * *

Sebastian brushed his fingertips against the nicotine patch on his skin absently. It was weird when he opened the box this morning to find just one packet remaining. He had a feeling he was going to feel naked without wearing them for a while before he got used to being tobacco-free. Ugh, his mom was probably going to make a big deal about it if she found out. Sebastian hoped no one in his family was keeping track.

Still, Sebastian thought he should do something to mark the occasion. His obsidian eyes glanced across his room for ideas. The programmer spied the minis on the table across the room and cracked a smile. "It's been ages since I've hosted a game," he thought aloud. That would be a really chill way to celebrate without letting his family on what it was about.

The raven-haired man whipped out his phone to text Sam, who had ditched him today to watch Vincent. Jodi had requested a day off and Sam could not really deny his mother a break. ***Hey, Sam. Wanna play Solarian Chronicles tomorrow?***

***Sure, fam! When should I get there?***

Sebastian thought for a moment. While he did not want to wake particularly early and he had a few bugs to work out on some troublesome lines of code before he could call it a day. ***How about right after lunch? 1-ish?*** While Sebastian did not eat lunch that early, he knew Sam was more on a regular schedule. If nothing else, he could have plenty of snacks out to satisfy his hunger when he eventually wanted to eat.

***I'll be there with the chips and Joja Cola!***

***Do you think Abigail wants to be our third?*** Sebastian inquired, figuring she was probably there with him anyway.

From Sam's response, Sebastian's instinct seemed to be correct. ***Nah, she doesn't like that it's "all talk and no action."*** Sam replied with a laugh emoji. ***What about V?***

Sebastian would be lying if he had not thought of inviting Violet to play with them. But he also had to consider the consequences of inviting her over. Last night, his desire to get a rise out of her overrode his usual anxiety. It was fun to rile her up. Besides, it was only fair after she did the same thing to him.

Though there was no guarantee Violet saw it that way and judging from the way she shouted after him last night. Just thinking of her scandalized tone of voice made him chuckle to himself. Sebastian sighed. Surely the farmer would not try and strangle him with a witness right there. He smirked to himself. Even if Violet was still a little mad about kissing her on the cheek, she would definitely make the game more interesting. "Sure, why not?" he thought aloud. ***I'll ask her.***

* * *

While spending more time with her brother was not usually high on Violet's priority list, the farmer's desire to make something delicious that even Zach would enjoy took precedent. She supposed it was the least she could do for him, since he came all the way out to Stardew Valley to visit her. It seemed like Zach truly did not intend on trying to make her move back to the city, and Violet wanted to reward that behavior.

So, Violet did her best to provide a nice spread and invited her brother for a picnic on the beach. Even if they had not bonded in ages, the woman knew that her brother loved spending the evening watching the sunset on a sandy shore. "I made some bruschetta…" she informed her older brother with a sing-song voice. The pastel-haired woman knew her brother was weak to the roasted fare.

Zach glanced down the rims of his glasses to make eye contact. He flashed a self-satisfied smile, folding the large map in his hands and setting it down on the table. "I see you took the hint when I stocked your fridge with the right ingredients…" The blond changed into more appropriate attire to account for the sandy conditions and quickly packed a small cooler full of drinks. Zach had gross taste in beer, so Violet knew she would not be partaking in his contribution to the meal. Usually, her brother liked wine with his bruschetta, but the farmer had a feeling he could not find his usual favorites, even in Zuzu.

The siblings walked down toward the beach in relative silence, Violet humming a little tune to herself to break the awkward air between them. Zach noticed his sister's behavior and sniffed in amusement. "Well, I can tell you're at least happier here than you were while working at Joja Corp.," he shared with Violet. "You're back to some of your old annoying habits."

"What's wrong with humming?" Violet shot back in the same manner she did as when they were children. Zach was amused by the comparison, remembering how round his kid sister's cheeks used to get when she pouted. Violet was all grown up now. He could not protect her forever - even less so now that she lived so far away.

"Nothing really, kid," Zach responded with a teasing smile that suggested he had more on his mind than he said aloud. He did not really - but he knew the idea would pester Violet.

As the blond expected, she huffed with an irritated air about her, but did not say anything. Violet muttered under her breath about him for the rest of the walk to the beach and that was just fine with Zach.

His sister's mood lightened once they crossed the sturdy stone bridge across the river and made their first steps onto the beach. It was still relatively early in the evening, so the sun was not yet flirting with the horizon. Violet spread out the checkered beach blanket about halfway between the tree line and the water's edge and began to dole out the food.

Zach took a piece of bruschetta and chomped down onto the bread slathered in tomato, garlic, prosciutto, and parmesan. The toasted bread crackled as his teeth sliced through and the toppings made his mouth water even before he began chewing.

"Mmm…" he moaned with delight from the delicious flavor. "At least you can do something right, kid."

Violet chose to ignore the nagging from her brother. "I'm glad you like it," she declared sweetly, settling down on the blanket to admire the incoming waves and taking up a piece of her own. She smiled happily as she took a bite.

"So how are things going for you in the city?" Violet asked, trying to drum up a conversation.

Zach scoffed. "As good as they're going to get for a while, I suppose," he reported vaguely. Violet noticed he never got into much detail when he spoke about work. Then again, there were probably specific rules about client-lawyer confidentiality. "I'm doing enough to keep my head above water, but eventually I'm going to have to go on the offensive."

"Offensive?" Violet repeated questioningly. "What do you mean?"

Her brother grinned as he broke open a bottle of water. "Powerful people don't really like it when you start calling out their bullshit, Vi." Her brother chuckled, clearly recalling a particular case in his mind's eye. "Especially in the courtroom." His green eyes glanced at his younger sister. "I've made a few enemies in the city, let's just say that."

"Just… be safe, okay?" the farmer urged him earnestly, taking another bite of her meal so she would not have to say any more.

Zach smiled and wrapped his arm around his little sister's shoulders, pulling her close to his body to give her a noogie. "Eh, don't worry, kid. I'm playing chess while my opponents are all playing checkers!"

Violet swatted at him with her free hand. "I take it back; they can have you!" she growled as Zach tried to steal a bite of her bruschetta. "And get your own, there's plenty!"

"But it's more fun to take yours!" her older brother shot back, successfully stealing a bite from her slice.

Violet finally escaped her brother's grasp with at least a fragment of her dignity and most of her food. She sulked, tearing off the bit that his mouth came into contact and tossed it toward him. He caught the bread, but the toppings all scattered, smattering his shirt with bits of tomato and olive oil. "Serves you right!" she laughed, seeing the displeasure on his face.

Zach gathered up the crumbs and tossed them in the sand well away from their beach blanket for the seagulls, who descended upon the food like airborne rats.

The two rested quietly for a while, eating, and simply enjoying familial company. When she finished, Violet dared to ask her brother a question. "Zach… do you think mom and dad ever really loved each other?"

He exhaled noisily, taking a swig of his water as he hunkered down in the sand. "I assume at some point they did," he replied, closing his eyes as if trying to see something written on the back of his eyelids. "I vaguely remember a time when they didn't fight, but that was so damn long ago the rest of my memories make me question whether it was real…"

Violet laced her fingers in her lap, her mouth twitching with uncertainty. "Do you wonder if… we're both doomed, too?"

"Doomed?" Zach parroted back to his sister, temporarily propping himself up on his elbows. "I thought I was the dramatic one, kid." He lay back down on the blanket, his neck resting on his upturned palms. "You get attached right away like a puppy," the blond half-teased, half-observed. "As long as you pick someone who will treat you right, it'll probably work out for you just fine."

Violet hated to admit it, but she had a feeling her brother provided an accurate assessment of her behavior. While in the end it did not work out with Kyle, maybe there was some hope for her happiness. Still, he had not fully answered her question. "What about you?"

"Eh, if I find someone worthy of all this," he gestured to himself, "I might settle down someday, but for now I'm in no rush."

The farmer's lips turned upward in a weak smile. "You don't have to put on a brave face around me, Zach," Violet told her sibling quietly. "I know being alone is hard on you. You're way more of a people-person than I am."

"Isn't that what casual sex with strangers is for?" he joked, though Zach could tell it was not shaking his sister off the trail. She used to immediately shut down and call him a pig when he spoke this way, but now her big blue eyes bore right through him.

"Sure, it might provide some relief for a while," Violet admitted to her sibling. "But I hope you find someone who will stick around long enough to realize you're just a big marshmallow under all that hard candy coating."

"I sound delicious."

Violet heaved a sigh, shaking her head and giving her brother a shove on the shoulder. "You're impossible sometimes…" Here she was trying to be vulnerable and genuine with him, and Zach still would not lose the act. Oh, well. "Do you want to find some cool pieces of coral with me?" the farmer inquired as she rose to her feet and offered her brother a hand up. "There seemed to be more than usually lately."

Zach took his little sister's hand and pulled himself up. "I might for a bit until my stomach had digested enough for a good run." His green eyes scanned the shoreline. "This seems like a great place for it."

"Suit yourself, weirdo," Violet replied, folding up their picnic blanket and setting it atop the basket so the seagulls could not get in. "C'mon, I'll show you all the cool animals in the tide pools while we're at it!"

* * *

A knock came at the front door and the last thing Haley wanted was to talk to Alex right now. "Go away, Alex! I'm fine!" the blonde shouted from her spot on the couch. The red upholstery was damp with her tears from where she had lain.

"It's Leah, actually," a woman's voice corrected from the other side of the door. "And are you sure you're okay? It looked like you were crying…" the redhead asserted gently.

Haley blinked, her bloodshot eyes stinging uncomfortably. "Leah?" she echoed quietly. The blonde rose to her feet, smoothing her sundress and dabbing her eyes with a decorative pillow from the sofa. She ran her fingers through her hair to smooth it out and finally went to open the door.

Sure enough, the artists stood there, looking concerned. "I don't mean to pry," Leah assured the blonde. "I was heading to The Stardrop Saloon to meet with Elliott and I saw you rush into the house. Did something happen?"

Haley pondered the question for a moment. "You were right," the younger of the two stated slowly. "Alex never caught on that I like him because all he thinks about is gridball and now it's too late." Her lower lip quivered as she tried to hold back her tears. "So now I'm just a dumb blonde who peaked at high school prom and waited around for a guy who will never think of her as more than a friend like a fucking idiot!" she wept bitterly.

Leah stepped back slightly, not sure how to handle the sudden outburst. She reached a hand toward her neighbor cautiously. "You're not dumb or an idiot, Haley," the ginger crooned, rubbing the blonde's back soothingly. "Sometimes things just don't work out and it's not really anyone's fault."

The woman in the blue sundress latched onto the artist and sobbed into her shoulder. The ginger was a bit overwhelmed by the situation, but also realized that Haley needed some comfort and trying to pull away immediately would probably make things worse. Still, it was probably not best to stand in the doorway while Haley cried her eyes out.

"Haley, I think we should step inside the house if we're going to keep this up…"

Sniffling, the blonde nodded in agreement and peeled herself away from the taller woman. "Y-you're right, Leah," Haley admitted. Her lips still quivered as she fought back a fresh wave of emotion. "D-do you want to stick around and bake some cookies?" she asked pitifully, her eyes still welling with tears. "I don't want to be alone right now, and I think that will make me feel better…"

Leah disliked cookies. They were far too sweet for her palette, but Haley clearly wanted some company right now and leaving her in this vulnerable state would make the artists feel guilty the rest of the evening. "Sure," the sculptor agreed, entering the house and trying to re-acquaint herself to a proper kitchen. It had been so long she had got to use a real one. That was the one major downside of her river-side cottage.

Beaming, Haley directed Leah where to retrieve things from the cabinets, to which the blonde was too short to reach. "You're more useful in the kitchen than I thought you'd be," the blue-eyed woman tittered.

This time, Leah knew that Haley was trying to compliment her. "I guess being above average height has its advantages…" the artist agreed. Haley nodded, glad that Leah understood what she meant by her comment.

"Okay, so first things first," the sundress-wearer announced. "Aprons and hair ties!"

Leah sighed in resignation as she tied the bright pink fabric Haley placed in her hands around her waist. It was too late to back out now.

* * *

**TW**

After dinner with his grandparents, Alex decided to take a jog on the beach to clear his head. While it was clear Haley was upset, the jock did not think it was a good idea to barge into her house and demand to talk things out. Alex did not want to jeopardize their friendship any further.

Maybe they just needed some time apart to sort out their feelings. But then where did that leave him? Was his friendship with Haley worth risking if he ever intended to ask Maru out? Or did he really feel that way about Haley and just had not noticed because of his hyper-focus on gridball training? Either way, working off the anxious energy with some light exercise always worked wonders for him.

As he cruised along the coastline, Alex noticed Zach running toward him. He was shirtless, displaying his lean muscles as he moved. The local could tell that Zach was purely a runner, as he had a distinctly different build than him. Alex worked his body mainly for strength, at least until Maru intervened with his routine. The blond was built for speed and judging from the amount of sweat dripping from his body, a decent amount of endurance too. He would probably make a good wide receiver, Alex noted to himself. Though cross country was probably more his thing.

Zach decelerated as he approached Alex. "Hey, I didn't know you're a Nighthawks fan," the city-dweller greeted him, jogging in place. Alex was a little sore about the jersey since it led to an argument with Haley, so he did not respond. The blond took the hint and changed the subject. "Good time for a run, am I right?"

"I took you for the type to run in the morning," Alex told the visitor.

Zach shrugged, "I run whenever I can find the time. It's good exercise and you can do it just about anywhere - no equipment necessary."

Alex looked around, wondering why Zach was alone and not with Violet. "Where's your sister?" he asked curiously.

"Eh, we brought our dinner down here for a little beach picnic," the city dweller explained, finally allowing himself to cease movement and simply stand while speaking. "Afterward she went beachcombing and I needed something a bit faster-paced." His fern-green eyes scanned the shoreline. "I think she headed back to the farm a while ago, though."

He pulled the small towel down from around his neck and wiped his brow. "I've got a cooler full of drinks if you want to stick around and cool down for a bit." He scrutinized Alex up and down. "You look like you could use it."

It had been a long time since Alex had the chance to hang out with "one of the guys." And he was not having the best birthday a guy could have. What could it hurt? "Sure," Alex accepted the blond's hospitality. "Let me get the fire pit going first, though. It gets dark pretty fast once the sun goes down."

Once the flames were burning steadily, Zach and Alex sat in the sand with the fire pit between them and the ocean. The older of the two cracked open a beer and the two discussed the Nighthawks' last season and their chances of making it to the Star Bowl in the upcoming year.

The sun set over the horizon, yet with the fire going, neither of them seemed to notice how dark it was getting. Zach did notice, however, that Alex had not had a beer. He tossed him one. "Don't be shy, kid. Even if you are underage, I'm not gonna turn you in."

Alex caught the cold, slippery can, but immediately set it down beside him. "I'm legal, I just… don't want to drink."

This was unusual behavior for a man in his early twenties, but then Zach strung a few details together from his session with George and Evelyn. He straightened his posture and put down his beer, not caring when the sand shifted beneath the can and the liquid began to spill out. "Which parent was it?" Alex's eyes flickered in the lawyer's direction as the blond added, "The one that hit the bottle too hard…"

While the jock had never talked about it with anyone, Alex realized his grandparents must have said something to tip Zach off. He pulled his knees in closer to his body, the soft fabric of his shorts grounding him. "Dad would hit the bottle," he began. "And then he'd hit mom, or me, or… anything else that got in his way."

"And I assume the bastard never served any time for it?" his companion spat in a tone dripping with righteous anger.

Alex shook his head and rested his chin on his knees. "Nah, not even when the cops got called," the brunet answered bitterly. "They would just tell him to watch his temper next time and keep it down so not to disrupt the neighbors or they'd have to come back out."

"Fuckers."

"I don't ever wanna be like my father," Alex shared, his green eyes glazed over for a moment. "I know I take after mom, but I'm not gonna risk finding my father's ugly face staring back at me in a mirror one day."

Zach sat beside Alex for a while, with only the sound of the tide coming in to break the deafening silence. "I respect you for that, man," he finally expressed to the younger guy.

"I appreciate that." No other words came to mind for Alex.

"It's the worst when no one believes you," Zach stated so quietly, the aspiring pro athlete almost missed it.

He turned his head to face the older man. "You, too?"

"Not like you." The blond's head shook as he grit his teeth. "I had an 'internship' at a firm one summer when I was… fifteen," Zach supposed, purposefully avoiding eye contact. "Let's just say they expected some 'physical labor' from some of the younger ones." His jaw clenched firmly. "You'd be surprised how many normal-looking people in power these days are into that sick shit," he hissed with rage. "And it all gets swept under the rug..."

Alex had never had another man open up like that to him about something so raw and personal. "Does Violet know what happened?" Alex sincerely hoped it was not the farmer Zach was talking about when he mentioned people did not believe him.

Zach shot him a look that made Alex flinch instinctively. "No, I did my job as a big brother and kept my baby sister well away from those monsters," he snapped, a fearsome look behind his eyes. Alex held his arms up defensively.

The older man immediately deflated as he spied the look on Alex's face. "Fuck, I'm sorry, Alex." He covered his face in shame for scaring his new confidant. "I just… Violet can never find out, okay?" he begged the local man. "I don't… I don't want her to look at me differently." Zach's voice shook as he spoke. "People look at you different when they find out you're… tainted somehow."

Alex slowly reached out a hand to touch Zach's shoulder. "You're secret's safe with me, Zach."

"Same for yours, man," the blonde sniffed, wiping his face. Zach finally made friendly eye contact with the brunet. "Thanks for listening…"

Alex and Zach took solace floating in each other's orbits for a while, though they did not keep track of how long they watched the churning ocean. They simply allowed the soothing sounds of the tide and the presence of a kindred spirit to calm their inner demons until the moon rose high in the sky, signaling the need to head home.

"See you around."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're probably sitting there thinking, "What the fuck, Shade? What happened to our light-hearted little romp in bashful dork land?" 
> 
> Yeah, I get that and don't worry. This story isn't going to dwell on these kind of shared trauma moments. But I had to acknowledge that not all friendships come from hanging out on Friday nights or growing up together. With the darker elements in the original "story" from Shane and Alex's heart events especially, I felt like it was appropriate for other characters to have their own breed of inner demon and forge bonds from those ugly moments in life.
> 
> It wasn't originally going to Zach with this aspect of his past, but frankly I'm tired of sexual trauma being a major key part of so many female characters' backstories. Besides, his inappropriate flirting and promiscuity seemed to be a strong response to his earliest experiences. It made the most sense as an author. 
> 
> Anyway, next chapter won't end on such a heavy note, I swear!


	21. Who Needs Courage When You Have Dice?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zach heads back to NuNu, but not before making a few stops around town. Talla is pleased with Harvey in regard for her plan with Gotoro. Violet joins Sebastian and Sam for a game of Solarion Chronicles.

Violet was offended Zach tried to sneak off without saying good-bye the next morning. If not for her new farmer's schedule at waking up at six every day, she might have succeeded, too. She caught him heading past her house while she watered her crops. Zach must not have seen her among the hops, so he jumped when she approached him.

"You look hung-over," Violet observed accusingly, seeing the miserable look plastered on Zach's pale face. "I won't let you drive home like that." She tugged at the end of his sleeve. "C'mon," she ordered, "I'll make you some breakfast."

"It's a different kind of hangover, Vi," the blond assured his little sister, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm. "I'm perfectly sober, I swear."

But the farmer was not about to let Zach off that easily. "Well, until you look convincingly rested, I'm not letting you behind the wheel," Violet informed her sibling firmly.

"So I'm being detained?" the blond snickered under his breath as Violet dragged him inside. He pulled up a chair at the kitchen table and sat, looking doubtfully at his kin. "Do you even have anything edible in this house?"

Violet peered into the fridge and sighed. She was going to have to use the milk and egg she got from Talla to make a good hangover cure breakfast. "Of course I do," the young woman replied defensively as she retrieved the ingredients for an omelet along with a small frying pan. "What kind of self-respecting farmer wouldn't have food to offer their obnoxious family members?"

Zach cracked a smile. "I could earn that description by calling mom and letting her know you won't be moving back to NuNu."

"You wouldn't dare!" the younger sibling hissed, flicking a thick slice of butter into the pan. It sizzled as Violet cracked the egg on the edge of a bowl and threw in some fresh greens with the egg and milk.

The lawyer shrugged. "She's going to find out eventually, you know."

Violet's brows knitted anxiously. "I'll cross that bridge when I get there," she countered, pouring the mixture into the hot frying pan. It already smelled delicious. Even Zach seemed less grumpy that he was taking orders from his little sister as she served him his egg.

"Eat this and go back to sleep for a bit if you really insist on leaving anytime soon," Violet said, sitting down next to him across the table.

He ate reluctantly at first, but after the first several bites, Zach's body realized that it needed fuel to start the day. "I already took the sheet off the bed and packed up all my stuff," he argued through a mouthful.

Violet's dark blue eyes rolled in their sockets. "Then use my bed. Your stuff can stay in the bag just fine."

"I have some errands to run. Can't I just do those instead of sleeping?"

The farmer eyed her brother suspiciously. "In Pelican Town or somewhere else?"

"Here, dummy," Zach retorted before taking a swig of cold milk from his glass. "I've got to drop off paperwork with the Mullners and to that guy who lives with his aunt at the ranch."

"Shane?" Violet offered quizzically.

Zach nodded, "Yeah, that guy."

Violet tilted her head. "I don't think I ever saw you talking to Shane. What business do you have with him?"

The blond's green eyes flickered toward his sister's face in annoyance. "You know, I wasn't holding your hand the entire time I've been in town, you little gremlin," Zach huffed at his sibling. "We had a few drinks after I crushed your boyfriend in pool and got to talking about stuff. I've got some materials for something I thought might interest him."

The woman started a rebuttal. "Sebastian isn't my -"

"Save it, kid," Zach interrupted. "I don't really care about what you call it, but it's clear you're trying to get me off the trail about your relationship with that guy."

"We're… good friends now, I think," Violet admitted with a slight tinge to her cheek. She frowned, then added, "You're not going to make him do anything weird with that favor you won, are you?"

Zach smirked. "I'll decide how to use it when it best suits my needs," he answered with a nonchalant shrug. This answer irritated Violet, but there was not much she could do about it.

"Fine, go run your errands, but make sure to say 'good-bye' before you head out of town," Violet relented. She took the dirty dishes from the table and took them to the sink to wash. "I'm hanging out with friends this afternoon, so don't make me late."

Zach was relieved to hear that Violet had a social life here in her new town. "Sure thing, kid," he promised, collecting some papers from his bag and gathering them up against his forearm. "I'll be back in a bit." The blond opened the door and took a step out before he realized he had no idea where Shane lived. All he knew was that it was "the ranch."

He swung his foot back the way it came and reversed his momentum to peek back into the farmhouse. "Hey, where is Shane's place?"

* * *

Shane still woke up relatively early, despite not working at Joja Mart for the time being. If nothing else, he had more time to help Marnie around the ranch feeding all the animals, milking the cows and goats, collecting eggs from the hens and ducks, and picking up any stray clumps of wool the rabbits dropped. He took into account the daily inventory and separated out the local orders from the surplus that would be sold to nearby towns and ZuZu City grocery stores.

It was something to do and Shane was quickly learning how to manage the ranch's finances. Marnie still had to correct a few of his mistakes when she skimmed over his work, but the woman seemed pleased with his progress. "You're doing great, Shane!" she praised her nephew. "Maybe I can retire early and leave this place to you!" the brunette laughed heartily.

Shane would have been nervous by that kind of talk if he did not know that Marnie loved caring for the animals. She was probably the reason he got into the habit of talking to the chickens and getting so attached to them. The hens all had such unique personalities, but every once and a while he would have to break up a fight and sometimes got a good peck that bled for a while. It was a painful reminder that chickens were likely evolved miniature descendants of ancient dinosaurs.

The amateur poultry farmer was about done collecting the eggs when he heard a knock on the barn door. Marnie would not bother announcing her presence, so someone would have to hop the fence to get here. "Hello?" Shane called out cautiously. He was not expecting any visitors at the moment, especially this early.

"It's Zach," the voice responded. He could hear footsteps approaching now that the man knew generally where to find Shane. "Violet's older brother," he reminded the dark-haired man as he came into view. Shane noticed the guy seemed a bit too well-dressed to be in a barn. The blond was tempting fate by coming in here.

Shane stood up straight, but did not offer his hand to shake, since it was covered in grime. Zach nodded understandingly when he realized. "I came to drop off that job application I mentioned," the lawyer stated, propping a large manila envelope on a slightly dusty ledge on the barn wall. "I'll leave it here for you, so you can keep the papers clean." He pulled a pen from the inner pocket of his vest. "I'll even give you a pen to sign it," Zach chuckled, pinning the crisp ink-pen to the documents.

Zach gave him a little wave. "Best of luck," he told the rancher-in-training. "Maybe next time I see you, your life will be a little different, eh?" the blond beamed before turning his heel to leave.

"Wait!" Shane called after him, closing the gap somewhat. His dark eyes glanced at the envelope as Zach rotated toward him. "You really think I can do this?"

The lawyer lifted his shoulders in a non-committal gesture. "I've seen stranger things happen," he replied thoughtfully. "Besides, people love an underdog." He tapped the envelope with his knuckle. "I suggest turning it in at the library. That's apparently the only place in town you can submit it - unless you want to go all the way to ZuZu." When Shane began to question why, Zach explained. "They keep county records there and Pelican Town is within the district."

Shane chewed the inside of his cheek out of anxious habit. "I'll think about it," he promised, still unsure of what to do.

"Suit yourself, man," Zach maintained dismissively as he made his way toward the exit. "Just don't think about it too long, the deadline is the 23rd of Summer."

The poultry farmer heard the receding sounds of Zach's footsteps slowly fade before he moved toward the documents left for him. It felt strange to handle something he never would have considered before. Shane had to admit part of him only considered this to spite that old man. Could he really try and do something different with his life? And would the townsfolk support him? Change was probably just as alarming to them as it was to him. But maybe if he succeeded, Shane could finally start to be the kind of man Emily saw in him.

Shane's therapist had reminded him in their last session that nothing in his life was going to change if he did not take the first step. The dark-haired man gripped the envelope gingerly, as if all his hope and dreams rode on its contents. "Here goes nothing," Shane muttered to himself as he retreated inside to clean up and get started.

* * *

Harvey began to fall into the new habit of visiting the merchant woman in the Cindersap Forest on Fridays and Sundays. Today was no exception. The doctor felt a sort of occupational kinship with Talla, being part of the community but never fully able to integrate. It was difficult for him to stop acting like a doctor with his patients and at least for now, the mysterious woman was not one of them.

The dinner they had on Friday night had been nothing to brag about in terms of the food he offered, but the conversation - swapping work stories - had been one of the most interesting and engaging Harvey had in recent memory. The medical professional finally felt like he was making a friend.

A breath-takingly beautiful friend. Harvey lost his train of thought, stunned by her attractive appearance a few times throughout their conversation. But luckily Talla appeared unsurprised by it. She simply redirected him to their chosen topic whenever his focus came back into play. It was embarrassing, especially for a professional like himself, but the vendor handled it all with grace.

The oddest part of their conversation had been when the teal-haired woman enquired about the condition of his heart. For a moment, Harvey thought she meant to ask about his health, so he elucidated briefly, "Oh, it's healthy enough. I should do more cardio to strengthen it, though," he disclosed sheepishly.

Talla shook her head. "No, Doctor. I mean the woman you hold in your heart," she clarified. "What happened to her that makes you so keen on keeping her there?"

Harvey had not been prepared to discuss such a sensitive topic at the drop of a hat, so he had begged forgiveness and asked to revisit it on a later occasion. The mustached man wondered what it was that tipped Talla off to that particular detail of his history. He certainly never divulged anything about Heather to the villagers. Either way, Harvey supposed if the traveling merchant brought it up again, he would be ready to talk about it this time.

As he approached the brightly colored cart, Harvey once again heard the melodious sound of Talla's voice ringing out through the clearing. He felt as if he heard the song before, even if he did not understand the words. It sounded jovial, which seemed unusual for her repertoire.

"Good morning, Talla," the bespectacled man greeted the ocean-eyed woman. "How are you doing this fine morning?"

Eshra Talla smirked at the man who stood before her cart. "I am well, thank you, Doctor," she replied. Her large eyes scanned his form, "I trust you have recovered since we last parted ways?"

Harvey had hoped she would not reference how tipsy he became Friday doctor was always careful to drink in moderation, but he had miscalculated since the wine had been a stronger Gotoron variety. "A little extra sleep, hydration, and a healthy breakfast fixed me right up," he assured the vendor.

"That is fortunate," Talla nodded, handing him a catalog of her goods as she usually did. Watching him, the teal-haired woman amused herself at the memory of the human man swaying slightly as he ventured homeward. Doctor Harvey had a giddy laugh that was pleasant to her ears and he was more prone to such a sound when inebriated.

The demigoddess learned much about a man when she got him drunk. This particular catfish had not turned into a predatory creature while intoxicated, as too many men did, even when she showed a bit more skin as things got more relaxed. This was a good thing. Harvey was becoming a stronger candidate for her purposes with each passing weekend. The Gotorons would be thrilled if her efforts proved successful. Talla only hoped Harvey met her expectations.

* * *

Violet stood nervously outside the door to Sebastian's bedroom, trying to gather up her courage. "Everything is going to be fine," the former city-dweller whispered to herself. "You've played RPGs before, this will be a piece of cake." Bracing herself, farmer Violet knocked on the door and entered the basement.

Sam and Sebastian were already sitting at the table across the room. "Hey, V!" Sam welcomed her, opening up what appeared to be his second can of Joja Cola.

"Sam and I were just setting up," Sebastian informed their third player. "We're playing 'Solarion Chronicles: The Game.'"

While Violet had never heard of this one, it did not mean she would be left completely in the dark. The pastel-haired woman added her dip to the table between Sebastian and Sam, whose green eyes lit up as he eagerly indulged. "Mmm, thanks, V!" Sam mumbled through a mouthful. "I'm glad I brought a second bag, 'cause this stuff is gonna go fast."

Sebastian wordlessly moved the game board as far away from Sam's side as possible so that he would not ruin the materials with molten cheese. Violet then hoisted her dice bag up onto the tabletop and she noticed Sebastian's obsidian eyes flicker with interest. The farmer was proud of carefully cultivated dice collection. It had been a shame to keep them sitting idle in their sack for so long.

Sam pursed his lips when he realized they would need a set of dice for the game. "Can I borrow a set, V?"

It was unusual for Violet to share her lucky dice, but she knew just the set for Sam. The dice hoarder quickly fished them out one by one and presented them to him all at once. They were a bright, lightning yellow with dashes of electric blue. "Oh, sweet!" Sam reacted favorably, scooping them up and giving them a test roll. "These are sick, V. Thanks!"

"Just don't use up all the luck on minor threats," she grinned. Violet had a feeling Sam was the kind of player who got really into roleplaying and used up all his luck socializing with NPCs. Then again, making friends with NPCs who could potentially provide some kind of aid or equipment was useful.

Sebastian was eager to get started. "Okay, here we go…" he announced to their small party. "Let me draw the scenario card." He had Sam shuffled the deck and fan them out for Sebastian to choose. The dark-haired man pulled one from the center and glanced it over. "Hm… It looks like today's quest will take us to the Necromancer's Tower… to try and reclaim the Solarion Staff from the clutches of Dreadlord Xarth."

"Cool…" Sam reacted, taking another bite of dip and washing it down with his bubbly drink. "Violet, are you ready to choose your character?"

Sebastian slid the character cards her way. "We'll give you priority, since this is your first time playing with us."

Warrior. Healer. Sorcerer. Sam's definitely going to choose Warrior, Violet mused. While he may not be as good as Abigail with a sword, he's more into the physical fighters than magic-wielders. The farmer also knew that Sebastian had an affinity to choose caster-classes, judging from the ear-marks on the Spell Compendium they referenced the day he tested out his magical abilities. Though now that he can confirmedly use spells in real life, playing a sorcerer might be a bit underwhelming.

Violet's favorite class had always been druid and while that was not an option, druids often did a lot of healing in addition to being able to tank melee for a short period of time. "Healer," Violet communicated to the pair beside her decisively. "I prefer to help others."

"Healer, huh?" Sebastian repeated. He did not seem the least bit surprised. "That's a very important role," the raven-haired man nodded. "I guess I'll pick the wizard, then."

"Cool. Warrior's my favorite anyway," Sam said agreeably, taking the character card and placing it beside him on the table so he could better read the stats when necessary.

Sebastian flipped up the hood on his signature black outerwear, taking Violet by surprise. "Let's begin…" he confirmed, lowering his voice and enunciating more clearly. "The King has entrusted you and your companions with recovering the Solarion Staff…" he gestured to the depiction of the magical rod on the card, "a task which, if completed successfully, will ensure your place in the hall of legends as well as a sizable fortune of gold and silver."

He paused for dramatic affect. "After a long month of journeying across unforgiving lands, you step out onto a precipice to see your destination looming in the distance." He pointed to the tower, longingly drawn on the game board. "There, beyond a moonlit plain, lies the Necromancer's Tower…" Sebastian looked at the two other players, "where Dreadlord Xarth usurps the power of the stolen Solarion Staff for his vile purposes."

With his hand, he glided their minis toward the stronghold. "The tower lies before you."

Violet turned to face Sam. "Do you want to barge in head-first or do you wanna search for a secret entrance?"

The blond smirked. "Fortune favors the bold, let's bust down that door!" Violet chuckled at the skater's enthusiasm.

"Hard to argue with that kind of confidence," the farmer acknowledged. "I'll back you up, let's go for it."

Sebastian nodded and made a roll behind a folded-up screen. The dice clacked against the tray loudly. "A skeleton guards the hallway before you. It looks dangerous," he notified the players.

This time, Violet took the lead. "Fight the skeleton, obviously," she told the hooded man beside her.

"Roll for initiative," Sebastian demanded and they all did. Sam was first, but he failed to make a hit with his sword.

Then came their opponent. "The skeleton lunges forward, attacking you, Violet," Sebastian communicated to the party healer. "Roll for damage."

Violet's roll from her leaf-green D20 allowed her to avoid harm. "You raised your shield and blocked the attack!" Sebastian cried. "The skeleton stumbles backward," Sebastian fixed his gaze on Violet. "Roll for an attack of opportunity."

She did so and smiled at the result. "The skeleton stumbles backward, giving you enough time to strike out and slay the foul creature!" Sebastian narrated dramatically. Violet could not help but think it was adorable how much he got into the story-telling aspect of the game. It really brought the scenario to a completely different level.

After making a quick reference to a sheet behind the screen, Sebastian continued. "You continue down the hallway, taking care not to step on the skeleton's remains."

"Yeah, don't want any skeletal hands grabbing our ankles," Violet muttered under her breath. Once her old high school D&D group went dungeon crawling and defeated a horde of skeletons, only to discover they were not quite dead enough yet. The party escaped with their lives, but only just barely. It was a fond memory.

"You find yourself in a sewer-like corridor," Sebastian updated the duo. "To your left, a hallway with a peculiar green light. To your right, a staircase leads up into the dark."

"Clearly, anything glowing green needs to be investigated," Violet proclaimed. She looked to Sam for his input.

He beamed, "I'm all for it, fam," the blond concurred. "Let's wreck some enemy face!"

"You are in a room. On your left is a ladder. On your right, three prisoners are floating in strange, glowing capsules," Sebastian described in a spooky voice. "They appear to be in the process of some kind of transformation." His eyebrows rose slightly as he leaned in to query the players.

"Could this be some sick experiment of the Dreadlord's?" The hooded figure returned to his upright posture on the stool. "What do you do?"

"It might be a good idea to just bail and head straight for the big bad," Sam reasoned through a bite of food. "Don't risk any injury and bust in full-strength."

"Yeah, but if we don't take care of them now, these things might come in during the boss fight and then we're stuck surrounded," Violet mused aloud, leaning over and resting her elbows on the table.

Sam hummed as the information sank in. "Good point, V," the blond conceded. He rested his heels on one of the lower rungs of the stool and made their intentions official.

This time, Violet's roll was not enough to destroy the vessels. "You strike the glass with your staff and it merely bounces off with a soft 'clink,'" Sebastian stated, smiling smugly at the failed attempt. The farmer was not going to let Sebastian get under her skin. "A little help, Sam the Strong?" the woman requested.

Like the lightning they were designed to mimic, Sam's dice allowed him a swift, fatal strike. "Your sword shatters the capsules and slays the encased experiment," Sebastian revealed to Sam, who grinned ear-to-ear. Their DM continued, "After putting these poor souls to rest, you and your companions climb the ladder." He paused, unfurling the game board into a new configuration and placing their minis in their correct positions. "You've come to a door at the end of a hallway. The time has come for you to face the Dreadlord Xarth.

"Intruders? How dare you trespass in my private chambers?" Sebastian voiced in a campy villain voice. "Ah, so you've come for the Solarion Staff…" he thought aloud in character. The young man smirked before he let loose an alarmingly malicious cackle. "Fools. You'll make a nice addition to my skeleton army!" he declared evilly.

The clack of a set of heavy dice came from behind Sebastian's screen. "Dreadlord Xarth casts shadow beam!"

Both Sam and Violet cast their own dice to dodge the attack. Their game master browsed his sheet for the results. The Healer succeeded, but both the Warrior and Sorcerer were not so lucky. "You were able to dodge the spell, but your companions are gravely injured!" Sebastian informed Violet. "What do you do?"

She glanced at her pre-made character card. "It looks like I've got decent magic res, how about you two?" The two men showed Violet their stats and she pondered for a moment.

"I can only heal one of you at once before Xarth can make another attack," she reported to her fellow players. "Sam, your resistance is shit, but you have enough hit points to take another attack like that if you fail to block or dodge." She grit her teeth, "Sebastian's Sorcerer on the other hand," she inhaled sharply, "... is a glass cannon. He can't take another hit like that."

Her dark blue eyes looked to Sam, "Can I trust you to stay alive?" she asked him with a playful smirk.

Sam shrugged, "If it's a crit, I trust you two will avenge me and give me a Viking funeral." Violet chuckled in response, and fist bumped Sam in solidarity.

"I heal the Sorcerer."

"Thanks, Violet!" the hooded man articulated appreciatively as she rolled to determine how much he healed. Sebastian did some quick calculations to determine his method of attack. Their party Sorcerer smirked smugly as he made a realization. "I cast 'Pure Bolt…'" he broadcasted confidently. The young man threw his deep purple dice into the felted tray with gusto. From the look on his face, Sam and Violet could tell it was lucky. "A beam of white light hits Xarth square in the face."

He offered a separate set of dice to Sam and Violet. "Do either of you want to roll on behalf of our foe?"

Violet deferred to Sam. "Take us home, fam," the farmer ordered with a grin.

"It would be my honor," Sam replied. He tossed the blood-red die to reveal… a 2.

Sebastian lips curled upward. "The Dreadlord shrieks and crumbles into dust," he pronounced triumphantly, knocking down the figure to represent their enemy. "You pick up the Solarion Staff and hold it high. Order has been restored in the world."

The programmer pulled his cowl down to rest in its usual spot on his shoulders. "Hey, not bad!" He praised Violet, "It took me like… three or four tries to beat my first scenario."

Violet was satisfied with the results of the scenario. "Well, it's not like it's my first time playing a game like this…" she leaned back, forgetting that she was perched on a stool and not a chair, but luckily she caught herself before tipping over.

The guys suppressed their laughter, but the damage was done to Violet's pride. "Anyway, thanks for inviting me," the farmer said appreciatively. "It was nice to play again," she added with an upward curve to her lips.

"Anytime, V," Sam responded, opening the second bag of chips and it was then the others realized he was already half-way through the dip Violet brought.

"Hey, save some for the rest of us," Sebastian complained, swatting the blond away from the dish so that he could finally get a morsel.

The trio quickly finished off the remaining snacks before Sam rose to his feet and stretched. The denim-clad man pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Well, I should be getting back soon to help out mom with Vincent," he rationalized his departure, shouldering his now-empty bag. Scooping the borrowed dice up and dropping them into their small bag, Sam handed them back to Violet. "Thanks for the assist," he expressed with a friendly wink.

Violet shook her head and pushed the tiny drawstring bag back toward him. "Keep them," she insisted. "They suit you."

Sam blinked in surprise, but did not argue. "Suit yourself, V." He dropped the blue dragon-patterned sack into his backpack. "I'll be sure to bring them next time."

"Thanks for stopping by…" Sebastian told his best friend. "I'll see you later."

The spiky-haired man waved his good-byes and wished them luck, though Violet was not sure why they needed luck.

Helping Sebastian with clean-up, Violet waited until she heard the door to the shop upstairs chime before she dared to hope that they were truly alone. "So…" she began, gently placing the minis back in their slots within the game box. "Are you done for the day or do you want to hang out for a while, just the two of us?"

Sebastian's obsidian eyes met hers and he tilted his head curiously. "Well, Solarion Chronicles isn't great with only two players," he explained regretfully.

Violet shook her head, her wavy pastel hair catching the faint light of the setting sun. "I… meant that I want to spend time with you one-on-one,' she clarified, exhaling her nervousness out as she spoke.

"I like hanging out, too," the programmer asserted, though he was a bit unsure of what to offer as entertainment. Sebastian flicked his wrist to throw his dice. "Roll charisma to convince me," he ordered teasingly, getting back into DM-mode.

Her blue eyes flashed competitively and her green die became a blur on the table. "I win."

The farmer beamed happily and Sebastian's anxiety melted away at the sight of Violet looking pleased by something as inane as hanging out together.

"I guess that means you can stay as long as you want," he stated, getting the last of the cards into the Solarion Chronicles box and sealing it.

"Awesome, because there's something I wanted to show you!" Violet announced in a giddy tone as she dug a small parcel from her backpack.

She gingerly unwrapped the package to show Sebastian the contents. It was a small blueberry bush, but the oddly colored one supposedly produced by the magic water he created. Instead of green leaves, they were a wine-red and the berries were a shade of purple Sebastian had never seen on a living plant before. It seemed so alien to him.

"It's… something we made together," Violet informed him bashfully, offering the pot to him. "And they glow at night!"

Sebastian had not heard that detail. "They glow?" he repeated with interest as he accepted the plant and began to examine it.

Violet nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Yeah, it's really cool. I thought you might like one for yourself," She added a caveat, in case Sebastian was not thrilled by the gift she presented him, "But if you don't want a plant to care for, or you're allergic, I can take it back home."

Sebastian pulled the plant close to his body and rotated slightly to keep it out of her reach. "No, I'll keep it," he assured her, scanning the room for a good place to put it. Probably on the windowsill so it would get some good light. "Thanks…"

"Well, you're officially smoke-free, right?" Violet reminded him. "That's something to celebrate!"

The programmer had not divulged any information to his friends about his reason for today's session. How did she know? Then Sebastian remembered. "You caught that during the game with your brother?"

Violet flushed slightly. "I learned a lot of things about you Friday night." She immediately recovered, however, and her brows furrowed. "Especially that you can just rudely walk away when someone asks you to stop!"

"But you're really cute when you're mad like that," he argued, trying to keep his cool. Violet had that adorable look on her face, even now. "It's fun to tease you."

"It was… still a nice kiss," Violet admitted quietly, avoiding his gaze. "Even it wasn't a real one."

Sebastian was curious what she meant by that. "Why wasn't it 'real?'"

Violet glanced toward a poster on the wall, feigning intense focus trying to discern what game it portrayed. "A real kiss is on the lips, obviously!" she insisted, crossing her arms.

Now he had her. "Like the one you gave me?"

The farmer panicked immediately. "That didn't count! It was just on the corner because you moved without warning!" she backpedaled. "I-I want our first kiss to be special, so that doesn't count!"

Sebastian blushed at that last statement, his collected demeanor completely evaporated. "You want to do it again sometime?" he asked shyly.

It was as if Violet only then heard her words when the raven-haired man beside her replied. Her cobalt eyes darted toward him. "W-when it feels right," she confessed. She shook her head, determined to change the subject. "But tonight we're just hanging out!" Violet insisted, digging through her bright red backpack. "I brought the next few volumes for you, in case you had finished the last ones you borrowed."

Sebastian's face stretched into a sheepish smile. "I may have finished them within a few hours of getting home," he answered guiltily, accepting the manga and sliding the ones he already read into her bag.

Violet made herself comfortable on the black sofa across the room and hunkered down her own book. The programmer approached the couch as well. "Is it okay if I sit here next to you?"

The woman gave him a quizzical look, then grinned. "Roll initiative!" she cackled and Sebastian turned around to go grab his dice, but Violet tugged on the back of his hoodie so that he fell backward into the seat. "Of course you can sit next to me, you dork," she assured him quietly, handing him a book. Sebastian was unsure if they were sitting too close together, but Violet was the one who pulled him down. The young man opened the comic and quickly lost himself in the story within its pages, completely forgetting anything else.

Violet had the next book ready for him when he finished and she beamed sweetly at him as his eyes hungrily devoured the text and artwork. The woman could not help but admire the serious look on his face. She grinned to herself, pretending to read her own book but constantly stealing glances his way to see that rare expression on Sebastian's face, even through the curtain of his tapered bangs.

She felt happy just sitting next to him. Violet was finally starting to see the possibility that not all her relationships were doomed to heartbreak and failure. The young woman gently rested her arm against Sebastian's so they barely touched, but she could still feel his calming presence. He neither flinched away, nor did he stop reading to ask Violet what she was doing. In fact, he leaned in toward her a bit as well. Sebastian's black hoodie was soft and comforting.

So, Violet read her own book, reveling in the gentle, platonic touch from the person sitting beside her. All was right in the world. Violet had hope again. Maybe Zach was right about something, after all.


	22. Birds Dance For a Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex mulls things over during a morning run. Emily reveals her secret hobby. Shane thinks it revealed more than he realized and makes a confession. Maru visits Fairy Rose Farm to discuss the mutant crops. Violet tries something new. Doctor Harvey attends aerobic dance class. Shane receives an unexpected request.

Alex jogged along the shoreline bright and early that Monday morning, still mulling over what happened over the weekend. Haley skipped her daily visits to him during his shift at the ice cream stand after their fight. The jock had not seen the blonde since and wondered if he should seek her out or let her have some time to herself. Alex hated these ambiguous situations. Haley could have just told her from the start and none of this would have been a problem!

The spiky-haired brunet leaned forward, putting on speed in the hopes of quieting his mind, but he could not help but dwell on the fact that his relationship with Haley had changed. Alex realized he did not like his best friend that way, he just reacted to her the way people expected of him without realizing. The guys on the team always talked about how hot Haley was and he echoed their sentiments. It was not a bad thing to think their friend had it going on, right? Good for her.

Alex could not help but wonder if he had not been so clueless in high school and Haley had been more direct, they might have worked out. No one would have been surprised by it, either. It seemed natural to be around Haley. But Alex would be lying to himself if he even considered dating someone seriously before going pro. Not until Maru.

So in expanding his horizons by accepting Maru's help and everything that came after, the jock had inadvertently driven a wedge between Haley and himself. It sucked. Alex felt his body begging for rest, he had been running laps along the beach for at least an hour now.

He wanted to keep going, but it was no use. Alex sat in the wet sand, panting, until he finally collapsed on his back and stared up at the clear blue sky. Then there was the other problem: Zach. The jerk really did run faster than him and he was so damn smug about it. Maru witnessed and verified the timed results herself. The city dweller consistently ran a mile in about five minutes. Alex's was closer to seven. Sure, the athlete knew that his muscle-building slowed him down somewhat and that Zach was a dedicated runner, but he had no idea he was this far behind.

Sure, he could probably still run circles around bigger guys, but the fact that some random guy came along and put him to shame that easily annoyed the hell out of Alex.

Even when Zach left town, he was smug about it. "Better luck next time, man," the blond said, handing him the list of running times. Alex could not be completely mad about it, though. Zach had also thanked him for "understanding" about the night before. It was weird, knowing that someone else knew his secret, but then again, the jock knew Zach's too. It was an even trade, he supposed and it felt freeing to air out some of his secrets.

Zach had even given Alex his phone number in case "things get to be too much" and that the jock was welcome to stay at his place in NuNu City if he came by for try-outs. Alex had to admit that it would be nice to see a familiar face and staying with Zach would mean one less thing to worry about. Working the ice cream stand did not make him a rich man, after all. If Alex did not want to ask his grandparents for assistance, he would have to find another way to fund his trip.

So in the end, Alex supposed that Zach raised the bar for his performance and he would have to meet the challenge. The brunet was not about to let himself be discouraged this late in the game. He had a dream to achieve and no one was going to stop him. Not his drunk father, not Haley, not Maru, not Zach. Alex was going to go pro for the NuNu Nighthawks someday. Soon, people would be spewing out seasonal statistics for him, breaking records, and bringing his team to victory at the Big Game. Alex Mullner: Lucky 13.

* * *

Emily heard a knock at the front door and knew it was nearly time to drive Shane to his counseling appointment in the city. "It's open!" she hollered from her room. The sapphire-haired woman listened for the sound of the door opening and Shane's heavy footsteps entered the house.

"Come in, Shane!" Emily beckoned her neighbor into the room. "I want to show you something!"

Shane peered into the bedroom suspiciously. Ah, of course, Shane had probably never been into a girl's bedroom before and was nervous about it. What a sweetie! Emily put on her biggest, friendliest smile to assure her friend everything was okay. "It's my secret hobby…" she giggled conspiratorially. "I've been practicing for months."

The red-clad woman pulled the slate-colored stool from her computer and gestured for Shane to take a seat. "Now, sit back, relax, and allow yourself to be carried away to a better place… okay?"

Her friend still looked a bit unsure, but Emily bent down to press "play" on her boom box and stood before Shane, awaiting her cue. The music started out strong with a rhythmic drumbeat and Emily bobbed along with it, her knees bouncing and her hips swaying to and fro. A high-pitched whistle added its voice to the music and the dancer greeted it with high-knee kicks and clapping. Even the parrot perched behind Emily chimed in as the notes softened, and it became more of a techno blend of synth and down beats.

The sapphire-haired woman let herself feel the pulse of the air in her body. She spun, hiking the skirt of her ruby dress up the length of her leg slowly up toward her thigh, then dropped the material as she lifted her arms above her head to tousle her hair and wink at Shane with a wide, giddy grin. The music made her feel intoxicated with joy and she wanted to share that sunshine feeling with the world.

Shane blushed, but Emily ignored it as a flute joined in on the melody. The woman giggled with delight as the music became more playful and so she gyrated her body to match its effect on her. Her sapphire hair bouncing as she stepped, Emily clapped and undulated and beamed until the music came to an end with the sound of a cymbal.

Emily panted, folding herself in half and resting her hands on her knees. "So…" she gasped. "What did you think?"

"That was… so totally you, Emily," Shane replied slowly. Emily's face fell, thinking it was an insult, but the stubbly man smiled at her gently. "It was amazing. Don't ever change."

The fear of rejection melted away and Emily beamed at him. "Thank you!" she responded breathily. "That was quite a workout!" Her body shook with laughter. "I haven't been this sweaty since I ordered the pepper platter at Abigail's graduation fiesta!"

Shane only felt a little badly for out-spicing Emily that day.

Emily glanced at the clock. She still had some time before they had to go. "Well, I'd better take a quick shower," she informed Shane. "You can wait in the living room and I'll be out in a jiffy!"

Shane immediately made a quick escape when he heard the word "shower" and waited as he was on the red couch in the main room as instructed. True to her word, Emily was quick and emerged about five minutes later. The woman dabbed her wet hair on a small towel and Shane caught a waft of a pleasant, flowery scent.

"What's that?" Shane inquired with a curious sniff to the air.

Emily laughed, "I thought it would be rude to get in the car all smelly in case I still sweat a bit, so spritzed some lavender oil." Her warm brown eyes grew wide with alarm. "I hope that's okay!"

Shane paused for a moment. "It… smells nice," he admitted hesitantly. Emily assumed it was because so many people thought flowers were too feminine for men to enjoy.

"There is no shame in enjoying the gifts of nature!" Emily assured him, patting his back gently. She grabbed the car keys to her parents' vehicle. "Now let's get going to ZuZu, shall we?"

* * *

Shane spent most of the car ride distracted, debating with himself whether or not Emily had attempted to seduce him with her dance or if he was reading into the situation far too much. Her movements were so fluid, free, and raised the temperature in the room. Shane could not help but be in shock and awe. But what really got him was the way she ran her fingers through her hair and locked eyes with him before winking with the happiest, sensual look on her face.

But maybe it was just Emily being herself - with no idea how that dance might have been interpreted as alluring. In that moment, Emily reminded Shane of a bird of paradise trying to attract a mate with a display of bright plumage and dance moves. But if Emily were an exotic tropical bird, Shane was at the other end of the spectrum as a plump chicken. Surely if Emily meant to seduce him, he would be fully aware of it. The more he scrutinized the scenario, the more ridiculous his idea became, and yet… Shane could not help but think of how erotic it looked when Emily moved her body like that.

"Are you alright, Shane?" Emily asked, glancing at the man in the passenger seat beside her.

He coughed slightly to buy some time. "Just… thinking about what to say to my therapist today," he lied in a panic, hoping Emily would buy the hastily-formed excuse. "Sorry!"

Once they arrived in the city, Emily pulled the car over to the curb, allowing Shane to exit the vehicle safely. "I'll be back in an hour, okay?" the sapphire-haired woman called from the open window. "Same spot as last time!" she reminded her friend as she merged back into traffic to do her own errands in the city.

Shane entered the tall, grey building and climbed the stairs to the third floor. It upset him how out of breath he was after so few flights, but everything was a process. Opening the bright green door, Shane entered the waiting room and checked in for his appointment with the secretary.

She was a loud, friendly woman with a big smile and a pile of curly, chestnut hair pulled up into a bun atop her head. Vanessa? Or was it Valerie? Honestly, Shane had not learned her name since their interactions were so brief, but now that the man realized he did not know her name, it bothered him. Maybe he should ask…

Either way, it was too late. His therapist appeared in the hallway to call him back. "Come on back, Shane," the short, grey-eyed woman waved him over. At first he was weird out by the fact a therapist could look so normal. Lynn always wore neat and well-fitting clothes, but he supposed the pant suit look might be too intimidating to clients, so his counselor wore dark-wash jeans and a stylish blouse each time they met. Perhaps it was part of the reason he felt so comfortable - the doc was not nearly as stiff as he thought she would be when he first arrived.

The two sat down in her office and Shane immediately went for the plush sofa across from her similarly comfortable-looking armchair.

Lynn grinned at him, resting her notepad on her lap as she crossed her legs. "So Shane, when we first met, you expressed concern about your medication. We talked about your concerns and you decided to go forward with it. Has your overall mood been better now that it's had time to take effect?"

The dark-haired man nodded. "Yeah," he explained gratefully. "I'll admit I was hesitant at first, but I feel like I can get out of bed in the mornings without Marnie having to come get me up, which is good."

Nodding, Lynn scratched some notes onto her notepad. "I'm glad to hear you're getting some relief," she stated calmly. "We'll keep you at this dose for now and if you want to discuss adjusting it in the future, we can certainly do that." She leaned forward slightly to address him. "We made a few goals for your work together last week: explore and practice new coping skills to reduce your internal negative feedback loop, talk about your relationships with your friends and family members and discuss some strategies for reconnecting - especially with Samantha," the dark-haired woman smirked cheekily, "and 'find something better than fucking Joja Mart.'"

"You didn't bother converting to therapist talk on that one," Shane snorted. Lynn was not what he imagined when Doctor Harvey suggested going to see a mental health counselor.

Lynn tapped the end of her pen on her clipboard, "Keeping a person's vernacular can help with motivation," she elucidated with a casual, unapologetic shrug.

"Well, about that…" the poultry farmer began. "I've started an application for a job I think might be worthwhile."

Her eyes lit up. "That's great news, Shane! Do you mind telling me a bit about it?"

"A guy from out of town recommended it," the bristly man acknowledged, "but I think after all the work I've done for Marnie lately, I might have some actual qualifications for the job." He cleared his throat and corrected his posture. "But, I actually want to talk about something else today."

"Then let's board the motivation train while it's at the station!" The mental health expert stated excitedly. Putting her notes down on the small table next to her maroon armchair, Lynn let her client take the lead.

Shane was nervous, he had not expected a therapist to go along with an off-topic subject so willingly. "I-I've been - you know - feeling more things now that I'm not in a depressive, beer-soaked funk all the time," the rancher-in-training began, twiddling his thumbs between his knees. "I watched my best friend dance this morning and the way she looked at me when our eyes locked…" He swallowed nervously, averting his gaze toward the window across the room. "Something in her eyes made me realize how I feel."

"And what did you discover?" The country man knew that Lynn probably knew what he meant, but it was important to say it aloud.

"I knew I liked her before. She's an incredible friend," Shane explained. "But this morning, I think things finally clicked for me…" Shane's dark eyes met Lynn's for a moment before he confessed. "I'm in love with Emily."

* * *

Violet still wore gloves when harvesting her mutant crops and kept them well away from her normal produce in storage until she figured out what to do with them. While they were incredibly interesting from a visual standpoint, a deep, basal instinct told her that they were not safe for human consumption. The farmer was not about to take any chances until she heard from Maru regarding her findings.

Maru swung by Fairy Rose Farm that Tuesday morning with the news. "I'm not sure what to call it," the young scientist admitted, laying out a pile of notes on Violet's kitchen table. "But from comparative research, the closest match seems to be flora that have been exposed to irradiation."

The farmer paled. "Does that mean my crops are poisoned?!"

The bespectacled young woman shook her head. "Not all of them. The 'contamination' seems to only be present in the mutated samples," she assured the panicked farmer. Maru tapped the eraser-end of her pencil to her lips. "And although they don't seem to be leeching radiation into the soil or surrounding environment - some plants do in fact absorb it - I wouldn't call the mutant berries and hops safe for human consumption."

While Violet was relieved about the rest of her crops and her farmland overall, she was disappointed that she could not safely sell her mutated hops and blueberries. The farmer's alarm renewed when she thought about the gift she gave Sebastian. "Is the blueberry bush I gave your brother safe, then?"

Maru's warm eyes flickered toward Violet's face. "You gave one to Sebastian?"

Violet nodded. "Yeah, since he helped create them," the farmer cringed when she realized she just spilled the beans about Sebastian's magic, so she tried to explain it away. "He was the last one to water the plants before they started to look like this," the pastel-haired woman detailed vaguely.

"Perhaps this has something to do with his recently developed magical abilities," Maru thought out loud.

The pastel-haired woman tilted her head. "Wait, you know?" That was a relief.

"I may have been a bit pushy," Maru recognized with a chuckle. "But Sebastian demonstrated what he can do so I can try to figure out what's causing it." A small spiral notebook seemingly materialized in Maru's hand as she wrote down a few notes. "Now that you're aware that I already know about Sebastian's magical talents, what else can you tell me about the origins of these plants?"

The farmer pondered the question carefully, so not to provide Maru with bad data. "Well, let's see… I only used the - we'll call it 'special water' - once," Violet informed the researcher. "Sebastian filled my watering can for me and since then I've used regular water from the pond over there." Violet pointed to indicate which body of water she meant. The farmer continued. "The only reason I didn't water more of my plants with it was because Bruno knocked me down. The rest spilled out of my watering can."

Maru perked up at his detail. "Do you remember where the water drained out?" The eager scientist rose from her chair and Violet followed her outside so she could show Maru the location outside.

"Hm…" Violet tapped her chin as she examined the earth beside her garden. "Bruno knocked me back, but the can didn't go far…" the woman recollected verbally. Tracing a line with her boots, the farmer created a perimeter. "This is the area I'm most confident about," Violet clarified. "The rest, I'm not so sure."

While there was nothing growing on that patch of soil currently, Maru knew there was a possibility for more data within that soil. "Maybe I take some of this dirt home for further testing?"

Violet chuckled at the request. "Be my guest," she insisted, grabbing some supplies to dig. "You're the one doing me a favor."

Maru dismissed the statement entirely. "I'm always eager for new discoveries!" She accepted a trowel from Violet and scooped up enough to fill a large jar. "It's one of the many joys in life." Gently lowering the jar of dirt into her bag, Maru checked the time. "Well, I ought to get going to work," she informed the farmer, shouldering her bag. "But thanks for the additional data and soil sample!"

"Thanks again, Maru!" Violet articulated appreciatively. "I'll be sure to keep these mutant plants well away from the sales bin." The farmer watched her friend leave the farm toward town when Bruno bumped against her for attention. Violet laughed as the German shepherd rushed away with a stick, forgetting that he was supposed to give it to her to play fetch. Instead, she played tug-of-war with the fluffy canine until the small branch snapped in half from a thrash of Bruno's enormous head. The chase resumed with the remaining half and Violet followed Bruno to the Cindersap forest where he quickly lost interest in their game and dropped the stick as he ran off the dock and into the pond.

Violet shook her head at her dog's antics, but decided to forage in the area since she was here anyway. As she searched, the woman found a young tree which had been scratched up by a large animal's claws. Probably to sharpen them. While Violet intended to show Talla her newly learned skill, this was the perfect opportunity to try her luck with what the Junimos showed her.

Placing her hands over the wounded bark, Violet closed her eyes and imagined the bark as it would have appeared before the gouge was formed. She felt a warmth - like that of warm, fertile soil - radiate from her hands and her grandmother's pendant glowed at her neck. Violet peered through her fingers to find a completely unmarred tree trunk. The woman gasped, her lips stretching back in exhilarated joy. "I did it!" she shouted to no one in particular as she bounced up and down like a pogo stick.

When the Junimos demonstrated for her over the weekend, Violet assumed the forest spirits needed to be present to perform this kind of healing. But no, the pastel-haired woman could do it all on her own. She pulled the pendant away from her body at the full length of its cord. "Is it because of you?" Violet asked the jade quizzically. Originally, the farmer thought the traveling merchant was teasing her with a tall tale that she was more than happy to use to keep her brother away from the syren, but now Violet began to believe Talla was serious when she said they were distantly related.

* * *

Harvey regularly maintained a healthy diet, but was significantly sub-par in terms of daily exercise. His mounds of patient paperwork often led to a sedentary lifestyle and by the time his day was over, the doctor just wanted to curl up with a good book. So when several of the villagers set up a weekly aerobics class, Harvey saw it as a great way to keep himself accountable. Peer pressure was a fantastic motivator when it came to something he did not want to do.

The town doctor was a bit embarrassed to be the only man in the dance class, especially because he often had a difficult time keeping pace with the women - some of whom were over a decade older than him. Sure, Harvey held hand weights during the class to add an extra element of difficulty, but they were only a pound each.

The mustached man felt especially self-conscious about his lack of physicality when Talla inquired about the condition of his heart. He quickly found out that she was referring to his love life - or lack thereof, but it got Harvey thinking how far he let himself go.

Caroline was a merciless instructor, she smiled the entire way through like a sadist. It was almost unfair how quickly she moved sometimes, yet the others were able to follow without any noticeable trouble whatsoever. As the techno music played, Harvey could feel the moisture being absorbed on his brow by his headband and knew that he was getting a good workout, even if the others did not seem to be breaking a sweat.

"Alright! That concludes our aerobics class!" Caroline declared, her leaf-green eyes alight with enthusiasm. "Are you breaking a sweat?"

Caroline always queried the group in this manner at the end of class each week, but today Harvey could have sworn it was directed to him. "... Yes," he replied between heavy breaths. The doctor felt the warmth of his face and as the others gathered around to socialize, Harvey realized he needed to go clean up before returning to work.

As the local doctor exited the gathering room and down the hallway toward Pierre's shop, the bespectacled man bumped into someone. It was his assistant. "Maru! You were watching me?" Harvey cried in alarm, his eyes wide with shock.

"Not purposefully, Doctor Harvey," the young woman answered. "I came to grab some ingredients for lunch and Pierre told me that Marnie would still be here after class." She held up a bag from the general store to prove her alibi.

"How embarrassing…" the disheveled doctor moaned pitifully, quickly removing his head and wrist bands and tucking them away in his pocket. "I didn't want anyone to know. Least of all you." The frown on his face liken his mustache to a moping caterpillar perched on his upper lip.

Maru's bright eyes blinked behind the candy red rims of her glasses. "I don't see a problem with participating in a dance class…" she stated in confusion. She gestured to the room, where Caroline, Emily, Pam, Jodi, Marnie, Robin, and Leah all stood around chatting.

"I'm just trying to stay healthy," the man clarified, adjusting his green jacket nervously. "As you get older, it requires more effort." Harvey's frown deepened. "I'm not in very good shape, though… I can hardly keep up with them." He felt self-conscious talking about his physical inadequacies around Maru, who spent most of her free time around fit young men nowadays. His bright, young assistant – or any other woman for that matter – would never look at him as a potential partner. Not when there were virile men as a stark contrast to his deficient physique.

Still, he wanted to get into better shape. If not to catch a certain woman's attention, then for his own health and wellness. Though it would look hypocritical if the community members found out he was so out of shape when he constantly reminded his patients to increase their physical activity. "Look… Don't tell everyone in town that I'm doing dance aerobics, okay?"

Maru nodded. "Of course, Harvey," she assured him. "It's important, for those in the medical professions especially, to be discreet."

"Thanks, Maru. I appreciate that."

A queue had formed behind the man of those waiting to leave the building. Harvey flushed with embarrassment when he realized some of them may have heard his discussion with Maru. "I will see you back at the clinic after your lunch!" he called to the overall-clad woman, making a hasty retreat toward the door.

The older members of the dance class cackled at the doctor's bashful behavior. Maru stepped aside to let them pass, but stopped the rancher for a moment. "Marnie, I was hoping to speak to you about an idea. I wanted to run it by you before I talked to Shane…"

Marnie beamed at the prospect of something new involving Shane and beckoned Maru back toward the meeting room. "Let's hear it!"

* * *

"You want me to what?" Shane questioned in disbelief, staring at the young woman sitting opposite him at The Stardrop Saloon.

Maru pushed a pile of notes across the table toward him. "Alex has progressed well over the last few weeks, but the main problem is that he has no one else with whom he can practice," she reiterated. "So I am wondering if you would be willing to practice with us at least once a week as a defensive player trying to…" her gaze flashed down to her notes, "'sack' him."

Shane still could not believe his ears. "You want me to tackle Alex. Repeatedly, over the course of a few hours each week?"

The overall-wearing woman grinned. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm asking!"

His dark eyes watched the tiny bubbles in the drink Maru bought him. A carbonated drink, rather than an alcoholic one. Probably for the best, since he had already had some unpleasant symptoms from no longer consuming any beer over the past few weeks, especially right after the incident at the cliffs. "I mean… I haven't played in ages, so I can't say I can catch Alex," Shane countered honestly.

Maru waved her hand dismissively. "You don't have to catch him necessarily, he just needs the added pressure of the threat that someone is going to tackle him," the amateur gridball coach assured her potential second player. "If anything else, he can work on his dodging as well."

Shane sat back in his seat, rubbing the scruffy hair on his face. "It's not like I have anything else going on…" he mused aloud. "And I am supposed to be getting more exercise," he admitted reluctantly.

Then, Emily came by with a plate of pepper poppers and placed them in front of Shane. "From Maru!" the sapphire-haired woman announced, winking at the woman who ordered the poultry farmer's favorite bar dish.

The scientist smiled knowingly. "I'm prepared to use food as compensation," she informed the ex-gridball player. "As shown here," she gesticulated toward the hot plate of food in front of her target.

The man chuckled. "You sure know how to drive a hard bargain, Maru," he teased, popping one of the steaming appetizers into his mouth. The insides were lava-hot, so he had to vent steam out through his open mouth as he blew outward. Still, his remaining functioning taste buds caught the flavor of the spicy peppers within. "You've got yourself a deal," he confirmed, offering his hand to shake.

Maru's lips turned upward at the corners and she held out her hand to complete the movement, sealing the deal. "Excellent," she exclaimed happily. "I'll see you in an hour!" she informed Shane, quickly standing and approaching the bar to pay for her order.

Shane's face fell. "An hour?!" He was going to have to down these peppers if he wanted to get home to prepare. The dark-haired man's mouth was on fire, tears streaming down his face. Where was his old gear anyway? Did it even still fit him? He really ought to read the fine print before agreeing to these kinds of things.


	23. Swimsuit Edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet backs up Sam when confronted by Mayor Lewis. Sam and Abigail ask Penny for some research help. A friendly volleyball game devolves into an all-out war. The young people all enjoy some time on the beach before the sun goes down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 02/25/2021- Full disclosure: I edited the swimsuit colors once I found out the screenshots I found were not accurate for the 1.5 update. No "stealth editing" has occurred, just minor descriptive details that are not important to the plot.

Sam traveled via his skateboard most days in the summer. It was the best time of year for it, even if there was no designated spot for it in Pelican Town like there was in ZuZu City. It was the one real downside to living in a small town. The blond kicked off, picking up speed to attempt a K-grind on the raised flower bed to his left. It was the perfect height for a trick like this one.

The wheels beneath him clacked on the cobblestone path, not ideal for Sam's purposes, but as an experienced skater he could manage a bit of rougher terrain. The blond rolled into an ollie once he was parallel with the garden edge and landed the nose so that the front truck gripped the wooden beam and his freshly waxed board slid across like butter on a corn on the cob. It was a balancing act, however Sam locked it in perfectly. As the plank ended, Sam popped a nollie to make sure the wheels did not catch, making a perfect landing on the grey stone walkway once again.

When he looked up to push off and continue his momentum, Mayor Lewis rounded the corner and shrieked in surprise. Reacting quickly to save the old man from being run over, Sam bailed, kicking his emerald green board backward so that it would not crash into Lewis' ankles and hopped to a stop inches from the Mayor.

The suspender-wearing old man growled with fury. "Hey!" Mayor Lewis barked. "What do you think you're doing? That's private property!" he roared furiously. The mustached man shook with rage. "Sam!"

Taken aback by the level of anger exhibited by the local bureaucrat, Sam stumbled to form a reply. "Uh… Er…" his fern green eyes widened as he saw a blood vessel in Lewis' neck throb. "I… I'm sorry, sir."

Straightening his golden tie, Mayor Lewis exhaled sharply. "The youth these days…" he muttered to himself grumpily. "Sometimes I wonder if this town isn't doomed." His dark eyes flickered toward movement behind Sam.

"You saw what happened, Violet," the local elected official insisted on bringing in a third party to discuss the matter. "What do you have to say about this?"

Sam was not sure if Violet honestly did not know or if she was playing dumb for his sake. "I always assumed all the flower beds in town were public property, Mayor Lewis," the farmer replied flatly. "I see Evelyn tending to them occasionally."

The public administrator huffed in annoyance. "I thought you were more mature than this, Violet." Either way, he was outnumbered and therefore obligated to apologize. "Sam…" he addressed the young man. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. Just please try not to damage anything in the future. Got it?"

The blond nodded. "Yes, sir," he responded agreeably. However, the instant Maybe Lewis was out of earshot, he leaned toward Violet with a wide grin. "...Did you see that trick, though?" Sam asked eagerly with a waggle of his eyebrows. "That was rad."

Violet laughed. "I would fall and break my face trying to do that," the young woman asserted confidently. She retrieved the skateboard and handed it back to its owner. "That was really impressive!"

"I've been working on it for a while without much luck," the skater informed his newest friend, accepting the board and dropping it to the ground by his feet. "Waxing the board really made a difference!" He indicated to the shiny surface on the underside of the deck and Violet whistled her approval.

His green eyes glanced toward the farmer. "So, what are you up to this evening?"

The farmer shrugged, "I'm just on my way to check my crab pots and do some fishing. I've already got my farming chores done for the day." She repeated the question to Sam out of courtesy. "How about you?"

"I'm having a casual birthday hang-out at the beach. Admission fee is a Joja cola or a pizza," Sam joked with a goofy grin. "But that's not till later. For now, I'm heading to the library to meet up with Abigail and hit up Penny for a favor before I go to work."

The newest resident in town panicked. "Oh, shit! I'm sorry, Sam. I don't have a present yet," Violet apologized quickly. With a sudden sense of urgency, the pastel-haired woman immediately excused herself. "I'll definitely find something before tonight!" Violet promised, dashing off toward the beach. "See you then!"

"Don't worry about... gifts," Sam called out to her, only to realize half-way through his sentence that Violet had already dashed well out of hearing range. The blond sighed, shaking his head as he hopped back onto his skateboard. Well, at least he knew that Violet planned on coming to the party tonight.

* * *

Penny sat at the table in the library where she usually taught the children. While school was still not in session, giving them the entire summer to forget their lessons only ensured they fell behind when things picked up again in the fall. So, the teacher opted to instead meet with the kids on a lighter schedule to give herself a break without letting Vincent and Jas' education suffer.

Vincent, of course, fidgeted constantly and kept stealing glances her way in the hopes of catching his teacher off-guard so he could sneak away to play. Each time, however, Penny was sure to meet his gaze with a soft, encouraging smile. Jas, on the other hand, was a diligent student with a thirst for knowledge. Penny was confident the little girl would do well once she entered formal schooling, and while the educator did not want to crush Vincent's spirit, she worried the boy would struggle with formal education.

The brunette detected movement near the bookshelves to her right and spied Abigail settling down to read a book. Penny wondered how she and Sam were doing. Penny still spent time with the blond, they were friends after all. But their friendship had altered slightly now that Sam had someone else to whom he could share everything. Abigail might know more about him than Penny now. The thought saddened her a bit, yet at the same time her emerald eyes glimpsed the small notebook on the table in front of her. Elliott made it himself and gave it to her two weeks ago as a token of appreciation for her help. Sadly, other than a brief conversation at the Luau, Penny had hardly seen the author since. Elliott must be busy with the final draft of his book. The amateur editor wondered if she would get to read the final version before he sent it to the publisher.

"Hey, Penny!" a familiar voice jolted the teacher from her musings. Penny turned her gaze to find Sam standing at the opposite end of the table with Abigail beside him. Smiling, she greeted her friend.

"Happy birthday, Sam!"

Sam nudged Abigail's ribcage with a waggle of his eyebrows. "See? Everyone who _knows_ it's your birthday says it when they first see you," he prodded her teasingly.

The amethyst-haired woman reddened. "I said I was sorry, okay?!"

Penny also flushed slightly out of second-hand embarrassment for Abigail and she did her best to change the subject. "How are you both today?" she queried politely, straightening the stack of books and papers before her.

Sam grinned. "I'm doing great!" he answered, squeezing Abigail in a side hug. The woman on the receiving end of the hug seemed a bit exasperated, though she softened at the gesture from the blond.

"We actually had a question for you," Abigail declared quietly, as Gunther had peered around the corner of the bookshelves to see what the noise was about. "Rumor has it you've read most of the books here in the library, even before…" she turned her head to see if Gunther was still observing them, and Abigail's light blue eyes caught a flash of a white glove disappearing behind a shelf.

The skater pursed his lips ponderously. "Maybe we should ask somewhere a little more private…"

Penny blinked, unsure of what to think. "O-okay," she agreed hesitantly. The teacher addressed her students. "I'm going to go speak to Sam and Abigail for a moment," Penny informed Vincent and Jas. "Can I trust you both to behave yourselves?"

In answer, both children smiled and bobbed their heads to indicate their intentions. "Yes, Miss Penny!" Somehow their educator doubted that they were both being genuine with her. She sighed and waved Sam and Abigail over to the museum portion of the building, to the room that did not yet house any artifacts.

"Yes?"

Abigail stepped forward, leaning on the empty display table. "You read most of the book here, even before the artifacts and a lot of the books went missing, right?"

Penny nodded in confirmation. "Some of them were a little… odd," she thought aloud. "But I do love reading and this place is my only source of reading material in town."

Sam grinned. "We were wondering if you could help us with a piece of local folklore," the young man explained, handing the teacher his phone. Confused at first, Penny accepted the device and turned it to face her. The young woman did not have a cell phone, it was an unnecessary expense for her. Penny was not sure how to navigate it, however she quickly realized that Sam had already prepared what he wanted to show her. "Is this a quilt of some sort?" the brunette questioned quietly.

"Quilt, tapestry, textile art," Abigail shrugged. "Whatever you want to call it, really."

The bibliophile squinted to make out all the details. Sam realized the issue and gently took the phone back and lay it on the table, zooming in with his fingers and swiping right to show her close-up versions of each section.

Penny's emerald eyes widened with fright. "Oh dear…" she breathed, as she came to the photos of the more gruesome scenes on the ancient tapestry.

"Do you remember if anything shown here was mentioned in any of the missing books?" Abigail inquired hopefully. "I've been coming here every week to look for answers, but I haven't had any luck."

Nibbling the fingernail on her thumb slightly, Penny thought for a moment. "I don't think so…" she admitted regretfully. Though after a moment's pause, she amended her answer. "There were some strange books with small sections about dwarves and goblins, though." The brunette giggled in amusement, "I thought they were silly, to be honest."

However, her answer seemed to satisfy the two. "Hey, any lead is still a lead," the gravity-defying blond assured her. "Thanks, Penny!" Sam uttered appreciatively, taking back his phone, and tucking it away safely into his pocket.

The teacher was not quite satisfied to leave it at that, however. "Where did you find it?" Penny requested, referring to the tapestry.

Abigail spoke up. "It's Violet's actually. She found it in her house up in the ceiling, I think," the woman recollected. "We were curious what it could possibly mean. It looks like it could be old Pelican Town."

Penny had noticed a landmark or two in the photos but assumed that she had been mistaken. It was hard to tell without being able to handle the object itself. "Do you… think she would mind if I asked to see it in-person?" the shy woman inquired.

This seemed to surprise the duo. Sam raised his shoulders in a noncommittal gesture. "No harm in asking, I suppose. I'll just let her know we showed it to you, so she's not caught off-guard," he stated, pulling his phone out and tapping the screen with his thumbs. His green eyes glanced up when he finished. "There, no worries now."

The brunette's lips turned upward. "Thanks, Sam…" Penny said.

"Sure thing, Penny!" the blond replied in a friendly tone. Abigail signaled to her boyfriend and the blond dismissed himself. "Hey, we have to get going to set up for the beach party tonight," Sam explained. "Will we see you there?"

Penny's pale face blushed. "I… I'm not really comfortable with other people seeing me in my swimsuit…" she admitted bashfully.

Abigail scoffed at the excuse. "Then just wear something over it and only take it off if you decide to swim!"

"I-I suppose…"

Sam beamed. "Great! We'll see you there," he declared excitedly as the two retreated toward the museum exit. The teacher watched her friend go. Penny was glad to see that Sam still seemed to value her company, even if he had a serious relationship now. Her mind quickly went to what she would need to do to prepare for the party. "Oh, no…" she whispered aloud to herself. _Will Elliott wear a swimsuit?_ Penny blushed at the very idea.

* * *

Gus had graciously allowed Violet to use his pizza oven for a negligible fee once she purchased all the necessary ingredients for her NuNu style pizza from the saloon proprietor. Emily had already requested shortened hours for the day and since Gus did not anticipate anyone other than Pam coming to The Stardrop Saloon that evening, he practically insisted. So, with Emily's help, Violet surprised all the beach goers that late afternoon with an enormous pizza. Abigail laughed at the sight of it and directed the pair to a small fold-out table. The steaming pizza took up the entire surface of the table and then some and the others all gathered around at the spectacle. Violet happily noted that Sam and Shane's eyes widened with delight at the sight of the glorious edible monstrosity of her hometown.

The pizza even spelled out "Happy Birthday, Sam," in pepperoni. That detail had been Emily's idea and Gus supported it with gusto.

Whether it was fantastic acting or genuine emotion, Violet could have sworn the skater teared up at the gift. "This is the most beautiful pizza I've ever seen, V," Sam praised, taking the pizza cutter from Emily, and making the ceremonial first slice.

"You've got to make them big, so you can fold them in half!" Violet ordered the local. Sam bobbed his head and followed directions well. Soon, everyone who wanted a slice used Violet's folding technique and enjoyed their over-sized pizza.

Several moans could be heard, which let Violet know her small team of pizza-makers had done well. Emily was all smiles. "I'll be sure to tell Gus it was a big hit!" she ensured the farmer, taking a bite out of her own slice. "Maybe we can make them at the saloon every once and a while."

When she finished her food, Violet noticed there was a volleyball net set up on the beach. She never played before, but the concept did not seem too difficult.

Haley smirked, "We were suggesting boys versus girls before you got here," the blonde informed the farmer, tossing her beach-waved hair over her shoulder and holding the ball in the curve of her hip.

"Battle of the sexes, let's fucking slaughter them!" Abigail shouted, raising her fist, and sprinting toward the netted court.

Sam chuckled at Abigail's competitive fire. "The ladies have spoken," the skater announced, "We've got the perfect number for teams!"

Several partygoers looked doubtful in their ability to play but decided to humor Sam for his birthday. "Just do not aim for my head, please," Elliott pleaded, removing his crisp white button-up shirt so it would not get soiled. "I am not sure my constitution could handle a bludgeon to my face."

Violet noticed Penny blushing while stealing looks at Elliott, who was now clad in verdant green swim trunks. The poet was not as pale as the farmer expected for a shut-in author, but Violet supposed Elliott made sure to step outside for some exercise on a daily basis.

The woman raised her own arms to realize that she had a bit of color from the sun as well and a slight farmer's tan at that. At least she made sure to switch between tee shirts and tank tops lately, so it was not as bad as it could have been. Still, Violet never thought she would see the day in which she was not pasty white when she worked for Joja.

Shane opted for a swim shirt version of the Tunnelers' jersey, shorts, and sunglasses. Sebastian wore black swim trunks, but still kept a white t-shirt to cover his upper half. The rest of the men all shed their shirts in preparation for the game. Unsurprisingly, Alex wore a slightly shorter variety of green swim trunks while Harvey opted for a longer pair of a similar shade and Sam wore pink.

Haley sported her baby blue bikini since Violet arrived and Abigail threw her shorts to the sideline. The amethyst-haired woman wore a black bikini, which was partially visible through her white tank top. Violet had a feeling that was for Sam's benefit, but she could not be sure.

Penny remained in a white sundress, choosing not to strip down to her swimsuit just yet. Leah tossed her cotton blouse aside to reveal a cute mint green swim top underneath but kept her shorts on for now. Emily, who had already shed her outwear stood within the boundaries of the sandy court in her ruby red tankini. Maru had a magenta one-piece swimsuit on with khaki shorts over her bottom half as well. Donning prescription goggles, she deemed herself ready.

Violet quickly decided she would follow suit with the majority and keep her shorts for now but added her shirt to the pile to reveal her tangerine bikini top. She felt a little self-conscious, since she was typically the kind of girl to wear a one-piece suit, but Bex had stolen that option from her ages ago by replacing her "safe" swimwear for this more colorful, strapless garment. At the Luau, no one really wore their swimming attire, so she had kept her dress on the entire time.

Emily gasped with delight at the bright orange top. "Violet, I adore that color on you!" she complimented the farmer. "It really compliments your eyes and makes your hair color pop!"

Violet never knew how to take compliments well. "Uh… thanks, Emily. Bex picked it out," she replied with a nervous laugh. "I like your suit, too."

"Less talking, more smacking the ball!" Abigail ordered, "Now everyone get into position!" The amethyst-haired placed herself so that she would be the first to serve to the other team once it was their turn.

"We just hit the ball to the other side of the net, right?" Penny squeaked.

Haley sighed. "You can only use your arms, though you'll want to hit the ball like this if you don't want to hurt yourself." The blonde demonstrated the correct movement in front of her so that the thumbs of her clasped hands were the main target, rather than her forearms. "If you hit it elsewhere, it might sting."

She hopped up and swatted at an imaginary ball. "You can also slap it out of the air if you're at the net." Her coral pink lips pulled back into a curve. "And to set up for a spike, you can slow it down like this!" Haley showed them how to set, their fingers loose and ready to flick the ball into the air. "Each side gets three touches to get the ball back to their opponent _over_ the net. If it goes out of bounds or hits the ground on your side, the other team scores."

The women all nodded in understanding and took up their position before Haley made an additional suggestion, "Oh, and make sure to call out if you think you can get the ball so we're not bumping into each other."

Sam hopped up and served the white orb over the net - just barely. It caught most of the women by surprise, but Leah was able to get under it and lob upward so that Emily and Haley could team up to get it back over to the other side.

Shane, who moved as if he were sore for some reason, did not quite make it to the ball in time to save it from hitting the sand near his feet. "Sorry…" he muttered to his teammates as he tossed the padded ball over to their opponents.

Abigail sneered as she slapped the white orb to the other side, but Alex and Sam were ready for it. Sam squatted to control the ball and aim it toward Alex, who then sent it back toward the blond to finish. Sam flicked his wrist to get the volleyball over the net with little time for reaction. It landed in the sand with a soft thud. A collective groan came from the girls' team and Emily gently kicked the ball to the boys to serve.

Harvey clearly had never played before and his serve fell short of the net by quite a distance. Clearing his throat and removing his sun hat, the bespectacled man adjusted his stance, but he still looked completely lost. "Try doing it underhand, if you wanna make it over, fam," Sam suggested, showing the doctor what he meant.

"Ah, yes… I'll try that," Harvey decided aloud, adjusting his glasses on his face. Unfortunately, the mustached man hit right into the net. Alex shook his head as he relinquished the orb to the women's side but did not say anything to shame Harvey's lack of ability.

Leah sauntered over to the back of the court to serve like she owned it. Immediately, Violet noticed a shift in the way the boys held themselves, suddenly on guard. The red head tossed the ball up high and struck it with such certainty, that Violet almost missed when it landed on the men's side with a thud muffled by the fine grains of sand.

"Well, shit!" Sam exclaimed with a half-nervous, half-amused chuckle. "Leah's played before."

"Only because I had a huge crush on Larissa Fança after seeing her in the Olympics." The ginger smirked, catching the ball that was thrown to her to serve again. "But that was ages ago…"

Abigail let loose a cry of excitement as Leah served again, just a hard and fast as the first time. Sebastian raised his arms defensively, and the ball connected with the back of his forearm and collided with the net. Sam saved the white sphere from hitting the ground, but accidentally sent it flying in the opposite direction. Shane swatted at the ball on an upswing and managed to lob it over to the other side.

The ball descended on a predictable path and Haley let loose a battle cry, spiking the orb back over the net and directly at Alex's face. The jock reacted quickly, only to catch the ball rather than redirect it with his forearms. He blinked in shock at the satisfied look on Haley's face. Was she still mad at him?

"Fam, you're supposed to get it back over the net," Sam instructed spiky-haired brunet jokingly.

Alex grimaced and realized from the fire in her eyes that Haley was out for blood - specifically his. The jock stared at his team. He could work with Shane and Sam, but Sebastian, Harvey and Elliott were unlikely to be much help. The athlete sighed. As much as he wanted to win, they were basically down half a team. If only they could get back possession to stop Leah's deadly serves.

His green eyes flashed toward Sam and he made a gesture behind his hand to hide his signal from the girls. Sam winked in understanding and took position. Leah slapped the ball toward them and both spiky-haired men both attempted to stop the ball before it had a chance to enter their territory. The plan worked, but at a cost - Alex took a hit straight to his face, but the ball crashed to the ground before any of their opponents could react.

The tanned man fell backward slightly, holding his face. "DAMN, THAT STINGS!" Everyone gathered around to make sure Alex was okay. Judging from the red outline of a volleyball on the left side of his face, Alex turned in time to make sure his nose was not broken on impact.

Haley, however, laughed at her friend mercilessly. "Serves you right for doing something so stupid!" she scolded, bent in half as her sides heaved with laughter.

Alex clenched his jaw, "I took on for the team," he hissed through his teeth. "Since I messed up that last point by catching the ball."

Elliott offered a hand to help the man up. "That was an unnecessary act of bravery, Alex," the poet insisted. "We would not ask you to risk your handsome looks for a game among friends."

Sam flashed his pearly whites, "Yeah, you gotta keep it looking nice so the pros can smash it in later," the blond chuckled, patting Alex on the back. "You need to sit out for a bit, fam?" The jock shook his head.

"No, let's just finish this game," he grumbled, touching his face gingerly. The heat from the area of contact lit a competitive fire within him as well. He locked eyes with Haley. "Let's take 'em out. I'll jump in the water to cool it off when we're done."

The rest of the match was brutal, so much so that half of each team dropped out due to various "injuries" because the game had gone from a casual one between friends to a grudge match. Leah, Abigail, and Haley battled Alex, Sam, and Shane for dominance, though Shane seemed the most reluctant of the participants. The scruffy man was trapped because the match could not continue without him.

Each side had one a game and the score tied. The teams were each well over the normal number of points required to win a regular match, but neither side every got a two-point advantage to claim official victory. From the sidelines, the others snacked on the available food and quietly took bets as to which side would win. All the players were breathing heavily, sweat dripping down their bodies on the verge of collapse. Violet was shocked that none of them had fainted from heat stroke.

"Doctor Harvey, is it really safe to let them go on like this?" Violet wondered aloud, gesturing toward the sand court.

"Well, it would be difficult to stop them…" he admitted sheepishly. "Though I do worry they are overexerting themselves."

"Can't you intervene and say they're all physically unfit to continue?" Violet urged the bespectacled brunet.

Maru rose to her feet, wiping the sand off her shorts before heading to the court. "I got this," she told the bystanders with a wink as she claimed the volleyball from the ground.

"Time out!" Maru proclaimed. While the remaining players were confused, they did not entirely object to a quick breather. The scientist squeezed the white orb firmly in her grip and it gave way significantly under the pressure. "This ball is too deflated to be regulation," she informed the six. "You can't really expect to play a fair game with the equipment in this condition. This is clearly why neither side has one yet."

Each team sized the other up. "So, you're enforcing a tie?" Shane confirmed hopefully. Maru grinned.

"Exactly," she stated. "Now let's all enjoy ourselves with a swim!" Maru declared, tossing the ball behind her, and heading toward the water. The other spectators hopped up and followed Maru, all except Sebastian, who actively hated swimming. The programmer opted to instead sit on the beach and enjoy the view of the ocean.

* * *

On her way toward the water, Emily quickly realized that Shane had collapsed where he stood and knelt beside him. "Are you alright?" she asked her friend.

"I'm… so… sore and… exhausted from all this… exercise lately," he panted miserably. Shane groaned, accepting the water that Emily generously offered him. "Thanks," the chicken farmer responded earnestly.

"I've never seen your aura so bright and happy, though," the sapphire-haired woman informed Shane as she settled down to sit.

His dark eyes gazed up at her. "You mean that? I look happier to you?" he tilted his head up slightly to better see Emily's face.

"Yes." Emily nodded giddily, her red lips parting with a wide smile to express her delight. "It's wonderful to see you like this Shane!"

"Sweaty and collapsed from exhaustion?"

She nudged his shoulder in reply. "No, silly. You're not closing yourself off like you used to." Emily took a handful of sand and let it slip between her fingers onto Shane's torso.

"I'm making an effort, like I promised…" Shane admitted, his breath finally starting to even out again. "It turns out there are a lot more people who give a damn about me than I realized. I don't want to disappoint them again."

Emily continued to gently shovel sand on top of Shane with her hands as she spoke. "I'm proud of you, I hope you know that."

The sand tickled a bit as it shifted down the path of least resistance, but Shane did not mind that Emily was hanging out with him one-on-one. "It... means a lot to hear you say that Emily."

"I only say it because it's true," the sapphire-haired woman countered in a sing-song voice, booping his nose playfully with her finger. Before Shane knew it, he was mostly covered in sand. The weight of the sand was somewhat relaxing and the sand beneath the initial layer was cool to the touch. It was ideal, until Shane realized that the sand would stick to his sweat when he did eventually get up. That left him with an idea...

Emily sensed something was wrong, "What is it, Shane?" He looked troubled and the barkeep wanted to help.

A grin flashed across his face as he sat up, displacing the sand she buried him under. Shane lowered his shoulder as he stood up, sweeping Emily up in a fireman's carry. "The sand shark ambushes his prey and drags her to the open ocean!" he cackled, doing his best not to jostle Emily as he jogged toward the water.

Once she realized what was going on, Emily shouted theatrically and tapped her fists against his back. "Oh, no! Shark attack!" she giggled, "someone help!"

The others turned to see what was going on and laughed at the show as Shane waded into the water to join them. Everyone in the ocean stood to about chest-height deep in the water, bobbing with the waves as they passed by. The vicious sand beast plopped Emily down into the surf gently and the rest of the cluster smiled to greet them.

"It's about time, you two!" Sam greeted the couple while floating on his back as Abigail tangles her fingers in his hair. "I was worried we would have to send the doc back to shore to revive Shane!"

Emily grinned. "He just needed some alternative medicine," she answered with a sagely nod. "Sand is a _highly_ therapeutic substance," the brown-eyed woman informed everyone with a wink to Shane in particular. His lips curved upward in a smile at her.

The spiritualist knew that Doctor Harvey frowned upon some of her own methods. He did not believe in the healing power of crystals, meditation, and communing with nature. But the man with the green aura was a good sport about her joke. He only coughed slightly this time as he replied, "I suppose it can be…"

Their group played in the surf, dove for sand dollars to see who could find the largest, and simply enjoyed swimming in the buoyant salt water, letting their cares melt away for the time being. It was not until the sun began to set that the gang decided to leave the water and gather around the campfire instead for some gossip and spooky stories. As they headed back toward shore, Violet could have sworn she spied the shadow of something lurking under the water's surface close behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who freaked out when they saw that the chapters for this "book" of the fic went from 40 to 32 - Everything is fine! I honestly just based the original estimate of 40 chapters on the first installment and assumed part 2 would be the same. But, since I did a lot more plot planning for Summer vs. Spring and a lot of things are already established, it's more "concise" - if you can call my wordiness that. 
> 
> Next chapter will be the younger villagers gossiping around a campfire on the beach. Brace yourselves. :)


	24. Hot Goss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The young adults of Pelican Town gossip around a campfire without their parents and/or guardians present. Several couples sneak off for alone time.

"So, what's the deal with Marnie and Mayor Lewis now, Shane?" Haley asked to initiated the inevitable gossip as she roasted a marshmallow on the roaring fire with a long, spindly stick. "Like, did Marnie finally kick him to the curb or what?" the blonde jumped slightly as she retrieved her now-flaming treat from the flames.

Shane shrugged. "Their last fight sure made it seem that way, but who knows?" The dark-haired touched his hand to his chin. "Either way, I got back at him for it."

"Spill," Abigail demanded immediately, her eyes lighting up with interest. "What'd you do to Lewis?"

The chicken man cackled. "I put his lucky shorts in his soup bowl at the Luau."

A hoot of simultaneous laughter rang out into the night. "Damn, I wish I had thought of something like that," Sam lamented.

"Hey, you added a pound of anchovies into the potluck soup," Sebastian reminded his best friend.

Harvey's face, meanwhile, went blank. "Please tell me it was only in his portion and not the giant cauldron from which the whole town ate…"

"I wouldn't ruin perfectly good food!" Shane claimed in his defense. Violet realized that if Mayor Lewis had been served his shorts at the Luau, there was no need for her to continue looking. Not that she had tried particularly hard.

Shane wedged his perfectly toasted marshmallow between two squares of graham cracker and chocolate, then took a bite. "I cont shee hweye Wewis wonsta kweep eweeting bout hes reelashunship wif Awnt Marnee seecret," he groused as he munched the summertime dessert.

Haley rolled her eyes, "The geezer thinks it'll undermine his authority as Mayor or something stupid like that." She peeled away the burnt layer of sugar to salvage her s'more. "They were gross and doing it in a bush late one night. I accidentally came across them and Lewis made me promise not to tell the town about their 'secret rendezvous.'"

"Ew, I remember you mentioning that!" Alex's face puckered in disgust, opting to sit in the sand and lean against the log behind him.

Abigail's jaw dropped, but her lips curved upward in a scandalized smirk. "You mean like doing it, doing it?" she leaned in closer toward the fire to better see Haley's face.

The curly-haired blonde wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, I thought some poor cat was dying -"

Shane clapped his hands over his ears, eliciting a laugh from the others. "I don't wanna hear any more about my Aunt Marnie's sex life!" he groaned miserably. Haley rolled her eyes but obliged the poultry farmer. It was not like she wanted to recall the incident either.

"Who knew the old people in town got so freaky?" Sam hooted, pulling Abigail into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she wiggled until she found a comfortable position. "It's like there's a whole side to this town we don't know about."

"I'm sure there's a lot we don't know about the town," Penny spoke up, clearly trying to veer the conversation away from indecent topics. "If you dig in the dirt you can find some interesting things," she advised the others. "One time I found a really old piece of pottery. I brought it to Gunther, and he said it was over a thousand years old."

"I hadn't even considered that people settled in the Valley that long ago," Maru chimed in curiously.

Violet seemed doubtful about Gunter's estimate, however. "I don't know," the farmer stated doubtfully. "I've already found few chicken statues on the farm and Gunther told me that the 'ancient people' must have really liked chickens." The pastel-haired woman raised her bare shoulders. "Even though I don't remember my grandparents having chicken statues, I really doubt they were old enough to be from an ancient civilization."

"Who builds a statue for a chicken?" Sebastian questioned doubtfully.

"Hey!" Shane interjected defensively. "Chickens have as much personality as people do!"

Maru interceded. "Well, to build a statue would require extra time and resources to craft it. Unless the people were thriving - which while possible, might have been difficult for a truly ancient populace - carving or casting the likeness of a creature would have to mean it had significant cultural or religious importance."

"So, either the people around here actually worshipped chickens or Gunther is full of shit?" Sebastian inquired, translating Maru's statement.

His sister chuckled but nodded in confirmation. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

"What an odd choice of deity," Elliott mused aloud, though he still whipped out his brainstorming notebook to jot down a few notes. "Chickens are not exactly regal birds. Usually pantheons include scholars, warriors, beauties…" The man paused, his fountain pen frozen mid-sentence. His lustrous hair caught the light, giving it a bright orange shine.

"By the way, did you two resolve your quarrel on the battlefield?" the poet queried Alex and Haley, his honey-hued eyes dancing between the two around the glow of their beach campfire. The silky-haired man leaned forward with keen interest when he noticed the duo shifted in their seats uncomfortably. "Even a mere onlooker like myself could notice the friction between you," he pointed out, gesturing toward the normally inseparable pair.

"It did get kind of intense," Leah admitted nervously, sipping her strawberry wine straight from the bottle. She wiped her lips on her forearm. "I was more than happy to play for a while, but it seemed… different for the both of you."

While the rest of the young people murmured in agreement, Alex and Haley avoided looking at each other. The jock scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "I… dunno," he turned his head to look at his best friend. "I hope I've given Haley enough space to consider where our friendship goes from here." He frowned. "I still want to be friends..."

"Was the fight that bad?" Emily wanted to know. It would be devastating for an old friendship to fall apart so suddenly. Alex and her sister should at least try to talk it out first.

The blonde tilted her head to the side, her curls cascading down her shoulder. Haley heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. "I suppose that temporary tattoo from the volleyball was worth some amount of forgiveness," she smirked, bringing her fingers to touch her lips coyly. "We're cool again, Alex," she informed her best friend, blowing him a little kiss. After pulling her towel snugly around her body to keep warm, Haley extended her pinky to Alex to make a promise, "I'll, like, communicate better in the future, too."

"And I'll… try not to be so caught up in my own head all the time," the aspiring pro athlete vowed in return. He hooked his little finger with hers and they sealed the promise with a tap on their thumbs.

"Yay!" Emily cheered happily, placing her hand over Alex and Haley's. The sapphire-haired woman was relieved that her sister's only friendship remained intact. Haley's sunshiny aura had been so dull lately. "It's terrible when friends fight. I'm glad you two made up!"

But Abigail already had enough of the love fest. "Alright, so which of you pervs is it?" she demanded to know, taking a swig of her drink.

"Who are you calling pervs?" Sebastian snapped defensively at the sudden cryptic accusation, doodling in the sand at his feet with a stick.

The amethyst-haired woman grinned and leaned closer to the fire so everyone could hear. "I overheard my parents talking about stocking more bouquets in the shop's inventory," she revealed, pointing around the circle. "My dad's such a penny pincher that only does that when he knows someone seriously has the hots for another person in town." Her cerulean eyes scanned the crowd gathered around the flames in the fire pit. "So, who is it?"

The town's only officially dating couple detected a range of reactions from annoyed huffs to reddening faces of the single villagers, prompting Sam and Abigail to exchange mischievous glances. "Alright, ladies and germs," the guest of honor for the birthday party announced. "I say we play a little game of truth or dare."

"Aren't we a bit old for that?" Harvey countered, removing his thick-rimmed glasses to remove a smudge from the lens with a clean cloth. "Especially the immature dares…"

Haley scoffed. "Fine, we can play 'Never Have I Ever,'" she offered as a compromise.

Sam seemed to latch on to the idea. "That's a fun way to get to know each other," the man agreed with an excited grin.

Penny blushed. "A-As long as I don't have to do anything embarrassing or vulgar," she consented squeakily.

"I have to confess I have never heard of this game," Elliott declared curiously. "How does one play?"

"It's simple," Sam began, holding up a fist. "We go around the circle and each person comes up with a statement about something they have never done." He placed his free hand on his bare chest. "So, for example, I could say 'never have I ever lived in NuNu City,' and those who have lived in NuNu City have to put up a finger." Sam, for demonstration purposes, lifted his pointer finger. "Once all your fingers are up, you're knocked out of the game and don't get to ask any more questions, but you can still state your answers if you want."

Abigail made her thoughts known. "With a group this big, we have to do two hands, I think," she suggested.

"What's your rule about targeted questions?" Leah requested to know.

The blond chortled. "Bring 'em on!"

"Targeted questions?" Maru repeated for clarification.

"Using a statement to purposefully give people points," Haley explained. "Like 'never have I ever used hair gel' would give Alex a point because I know he uses it daily."

Alex lowered. "I work hard for this look, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Abigail said impatiently. "Let's get this started already!"

* * *

Violet fidgeted, nervously waiting for the first question from Maru, who volunteered to start.

The scientist took a gulp of her drink and smiled, before starting off with a deadly question. "Never have I ever received a grade less than an "A." The entire crowd complained simultaneously and each person held up a finger, while Sebastian and Abigail chose their middle finger in particular to protest the question.

Penny hid her laughter behind her hand, relaxing now that she knew that the game might not be as terrible as she thought. The shy woman chose her own statement. "Never have I ever lived outside of Pelican Town."

That question got everybody but Abigail. "Good one!" Sam praised the teacher, who seemed a bit less nervous now that her turn was out of the way for this round.

Elliott came next. "Never have I ever dyed my hair," he asserted proudly. Violet raised one finger, as did the obvious candidates - Abigail, Emily, and Penny with her more recent color change thanks to Bex. But the farmer was surprised by Alex and Shane.

Shane observed the others' expressions and shed some light on the subject. "I dyed my hair green and blue for a Tunnlers' game once," he specified, lifting his shoulders nonchalantly.

"And I… lost a bet to the captain of the rival team," Alex griped, crossing his arms over his chest.

Haley's blue eyes widened. "So that's why your hair was pink for a week sophomore year!" she laughed behind her hand. The blue-clad woman shook her head. "I'm glad it didn't last long. It was not a good look for you."

Leah verbalized her choice next. "Never have I ever had a boyfriend," she stated smugly, fully taking advantage of her lesbianism.

Much to the farmer's shock, only she, Abigail, and Emily added to their score. "Really?" she wondered aloud in disbelief.

Alex tried to call Haley out on a lie. "What about Chad Lendowski?" he asked his friend accusingly.

The blonde sneered. "Just because I made out with him under the bleachers a few times to try to make you jealous does not mean he was my boyfriend." Haley's blue eyes settled on her sister. "But when did you have a boyfriend, Emily?"

The sapphire-haired woman beamed. "Martin was a fellow art student," Emily reminisced fondly. "He was a nice guy, and we had a lot of fun, but he realized a few months into our relationship that he was more attracted to men." The woman rested her head on her open palms, "We kept in touch for a while afterward, though. He and his partner adopted a little boy a few years back, so I'm glad it all worked out."

"That's sweet," Penny articulated softly, smiling slightly. Violet wondered if Penny wanted kids someday. She seemed to like them, volunteering her time to teach Jas and Vincent.

Haley then turned to the farmer and Violet froze like a deer in headlights, since Abigail's answer needed no explanation. "And what's your deal, farm girl?"

Violet cleared her throat. "I uh… had a boyfriend who lived with me for a while, but it turned out he was just using me for free room and board while hooking up with other girls behind my back. So… it didn't really end amicably like things did for Emily." Violet had already mentioned her ex to some people, but most of them did not know all the details. Really, Sebastian knew the most about the situation, but Violet wondered if living with a boyfriend in the past changed anyone else's opinion of her.

"The man sounds like an absolute scoundrel," Elliott announced with a disapproving tone. Several others nodded in agreement. Violet sighed in relief when she recognized no one was attacking her character about it, unlike back home.

"Thanks, guys…" the farmer whispered with a small smile, before pondering a question of her own. Violet's cobalt eyes scanned her opponents and noticed that Maru was the only one with a single finger raised. She decided to initiate the targeted questions. "Never have I ever needed glasses!" Violet laughed.

Maru and Harvey both added a point to their score, to no one's surprise. Now it was Sebastian's turn. All eyes were upon him - which Violet recognized was the worst for his social anxiety. She moved her head slightly to get his attention and flashed him a friendly smile.

Sebastian relaxed slightly, or perhaps that was Violet's hopeful imagination, but he did go ahead and made a statement. "Never have I ever broken a bone."

Sam, Shane, and Maru all lifted an additional finger and briefly gave more details.

"Fell off my skateboard at the park, broke my wrist," Sam said, waving the wrist that mended years ago.

Shane fixed his gaze downward, kneading the grains of sand between his toes. "Gridball injury."

"I tried to jump off a ledge that was higher than I expected as a child," Maru chuckled. "Sebastian might have been more traumatized by it than I was!" Her brother scowled at the memory of his panic but did not comment. The young woman recalled the incident fondly. "Having a cast and experiencing the process first-hand is actually what inspired me to pursue nursing."

Harvey craned his neck to better see Maru, who sat beside him. "I didn't know that" he replied. Maru nodded and communicated that it was not the only factor, but certainly a catalyst for her choice of career path.

Now it was Sam's turn and his toothy grin made Violet realize that things were about to get livelier. "Never have I ever caught my parents having sex."

"Fuck you, Sam!" Abigail snapped, adding a point to her score. "That was forever ago!" Quietly, Leah and Haley also raised a finger, but not Emily. Penny covered her face in mortification at the question.

"Yeah, that turned me off to hetero sex instantly," Leah proclaimed with a shudder and a swig of her wine. Her grey eyes landed on Haley. "And what's with you discovering couples having sex all the time? Are you a secret voyeur? "

Haley scowled, though her face tinged pink with embarrassment. "It's literally only been those two times!" she argued defensively. "It's not like I go around seeking them out!"

Elliott, however, placed his pen to paper. "And how would you describe the reactions of the couples you've interrupted?" he inquired seriously. "Were they startled? Did they stop their amorous behavior? Do tell!"

"Elli, WHY?" Leah groaned miserably, swatting at the man seated beside her.

The author blinked innocently. "Well, there is always the fear and excitement of potentially being caught in the act," he explained, "but I have never written a scene in which the couple were truly caught in a compromising position and I wondered how one might reasonably react."

"I'm not talking about it, ask your bestie later," Haley replied flatly, dismissing the only man whose hair care routine likely rivaled hers.

Abigail seemed determined to get Sam back for targeting her. "Never have I ever stolen anything!" she shouted, despite her face being inches from her boyfriend's.

Sam cackled and air high-fived Shane from across the campfire. "Joja colas and frozen pizzas for the win!"

Maru also acknowledged her theft of intellectual property. "I have used sites that provide scientific journal articles for free," she disclosed guiltily.

"In that case, online pirating counts, too," Sebastian grumbled, raising a finger. A collective groan was added by most of the party when they realized they had done the same, all except for Elliott, Emily, Harvey, and Penny. Abigail cursed that her own question accidentally brought her closer to defeat.

Haley's lips pulled back toward her ears as she spoke. "Never have I ever worn boxers." All the men added a point and so did Abigail. While Violet did not need confirmation, this was further evidence that Abigail and Sam were physically intimate with one another.

"They're comfortable!" Abigail announced with a smile. Sam kissed his girlfriend's pale neck and squeezed her slightly.

"You rocked them, babe," he concurred, keeping Abigail close to his body while she was seated in his lap.

Penny avoided looking at the display of affection entirely, while others stole glances and smiled to themselves, as if hoping they might have a romance like that someday. Emily disrupted the awkward silence since it was now her turn.

"Never have I ever bought an article of clothing, wore it once with the tags still on, and then returned it," she giggled, knowing fully well that her sister had done just that. Haley growled in frustration but accepted the point.

Harvey and Penny both meekly acknowledged their transgressions as well. "I was still in residency and had a lot of student debt. I needed something for an interview…" the mustached man clarified.

"M-mom made me a few times as a child," Penny elaborated. "I-it wasn't my fault!"

Emily shook her head, "No one is accusing you of anything," she assured the anxious brunette. "I was only teasing Haley because she can never decide if she wants to keep an outfit unless someone compliments it."

"I'm not that shallow!" Haley protested indignantly. She turned up her nose. "Sometimes you have to see how it looks while you're out and about before making a final decision. I just happened to get a lot of compliments on my style."

Shane shifted on the log upon which he sat for a moment as he thought of a good statement for the group. "Never have I ever…" his mouth twitched before he finally settled on "been camping."

Emily, Leah, Maru, Sam, and Sebastian all took a point. "That's a terrible shame," Emily addressed Shane. "Camping is a wonderful way to reconnect with nature," she said wistfully. The woman lightly touched Shane's shoulder. "I'll gladly take you sometime if you want to experience what you've been missing!"

Leah nodded in agreement. "I've gone on lots of camping trips and I always find something interesting."

Haley disagreed. "There's no running water or electricity and you sleep in a bag," she countered in disgust.

"Hey, it can still be fun, though," Sam chimed in. "Dad used to take me every summer before Vincent was born," he shared with the present company fondly. "We would fish and cook all sorts of food on the fire. We had a great time!"

Maru gave the account on behalf of both herself and her brother. "We went camping one summer to collect samples for dad's work," she informed everyone. The auburn-haired woman giggled. "Sebastian really hated it and mom was really put out that she wasn't allowed to chop down any hardwood for carpentry projects, but I enjoyed myself!"

"Never have I ever made a promise I didn't keep!" Alex proclaimed with a satisfied smirk.

"I call bullshit," Shane declared confidently. "There's no way. Kids make nonsense promises all the time."

Alex rolled his Kelley green eyes. "Fine, then how about 'in my adult life?'" he compromised, narrowing the criteria.

While there was a bit of a debate about what constituted a "promise" to count, Harvey paled noticeably. "Is everything okay, Harvey?" Leah queried out of concern. The man looked ill.

"I promised someone I would make them well again," the bespectacled doctor confessed, his voice shaking as he balled his fists at his sides. "She died not long after," Harvey revealed in a tone as quiet as the fire burning at the core of their circle. "I -" his voice caught in his throat. "I lied to her and she died because I couldn't fix things for her."

Before anyone could react, he excused himself with a quick "I'm afraid it's past my bedtime. Happy birthday, Sam," and hurried off toward town.

"I suppose that's normal for doctors, but I still feel badly for him," Leah stated sadly, finishing off her bottle of wine.

Those still gathered around the campfire exchanged awkward looks, unsure of how to lighten the mood after such a downer. Maru rose to her feet. "I'm going to go make sure he's okay," the young woman announced, making her good-byes. "I had a lot of fun, thank you all."

Part of Violet wanted to leave as well, but at the same time she did not want to end the night on a low note. Looking around, she become aware that Sebastian had disappeared from the ring around the campfire. The farmer turned her body and saw a glimpse of someone heading toward the pier. That must be him. Violet felt the urge to follow him, but her social graces would not allow her to just up and leave a party. She would have to wait for the right moment to sneak away.

Abigail hopped off Sam's lap and tried to salvage the party atmosphere. "Well, I think that's the end of our game, but that doesn't mean we can't hang out."

Everybody nodded in agreement. "I'm gonna go grab some more wood to revive this fire a bit," Alex notified them, heading toward the tree line to look for deadwood.

"Is there any other news that ought to be disclosed?" Elliott wanted to know. He seemed desperate for some sort of inspiration.

Penny was not normally one to gossip, but she was honestly curious herself. "I happen to overhear Mayor Lewis complain to Gunther earlier today that someone intended on running against him for Mayor this year," the shy woman enlightened the party. "Though he didn't know who it was."

Sam looked ecstatic. "Dude! I am all for a new mayor," the blond said in support of the mystery candidate. "Lewis doesn't listen to any new ideas for town improvements!" the skater complained.

Alex then came back with an armful of driftwood and stacked a few pieces on the dying embers. "Well, it's not me. I don't have time for anything like that," he conveyed, stoking the fire back to life.

Leah turned to Violet expectantly and the farmer immediately waved her hands in front of her to deny the assumption. "I'm still getting used to everything in town. I'd be crazy to add more things to me daily to-do lists."

Shane exhaled heavily and the people all turned to face him. "It's me," he revealed reluctantly. "I submitted an application of intent, but I haven't made an official announcement yet."

Emily's warm brown eyes flared with enthusiasm. "Oh, that's wonderful!" She wrapped him in a side-hug. "You would make a great mayor, Shane!"

Alex chuckled. "Well, you suck at playing defense so I'm sure you would be good at something," the spiky-haired jock jabbed his new gridball practice partner.

The poultry farmer continued. "I figured if I'm going to make some personal changes, I may as well try to improve the place I live, too." He twiddled his thumbs between his knees nervously. "I know it's a slim chance, but any chance at something better than Joja - no offense, Sam - is worthwhile to me."

"I think it's more than a slim chance," Leah countered the mayoral candidate. "From what I hear, a lot of people aren't exactly happy with how Lewis runs things, but he's been mayor so long that no one bothers opposing him."

"You already have my vote," Emily pledged with a smile. Violet noticed Shane blush slightly. Or maybe it was just the firelight?

Shane frowned at the ground. "I still need a campaign manager, if I'm going to make things official," he told everybody.

Haley exhaled audibly. "Well, if anyone should do it, it should be me." She extended her hand to Shane. "So, what do you say?"

The husky man narrowed his eyes, confused why Haley would offer her services so readily. "It's not that I think it's a bad idea," Shane began. "But why do you want to help me?"

In response, the blonde scoffed. "It's less of a want and more of a need. Yours, to be exact." Haley gestured to her sister. "I'm sure Emily would love to do it - and she's probably your first choice since you're friends," the woman in the blue bikini explained. "But Emily works every day and doesn't have nearly as much free time or experience with image-building like I do."

"You also take great portraits," Leah added her support for Haley's proposition.

The blonde glanced at the artist and grinned at Leah in thanks, then turned back to Shane. "So, what do you say?"

Shane was taken aback. "Ugh, sure…" he took her hand to shake. "Thanks, Haley."

Emily beamed. "Oh, you're so generous, Haley. Thank you!" The sapphire-haired woman scoop both Haley and Shane into a hug, with her at the center.

"Quit crushing me or I'll change my mind!" Haley insisted, running her fingers through her hair once her older sister released her.

Leah was about to ask Abigail to pass her another marshmallow when the artist realized that most of the others had gone missing. "Hey, where did everybody go?" the ginger questioned aloud.

Alex filled in the details. "Sam and Abigail snuck off that way," he pointed toward the upper portion of the beach. "Penny excused herself, but you all were too absorbed in Shane's news to hear her," he continued. "And Elliott went with her to walk her home."

Haley scanned the other side of the circle, which was also mostly vacant. "What about Violet and Sebastian?"

"I think Sebastian's been gone a while," Emily noted. "I imagine Violet followed him."

Haley whined in annoyance. "Those two just need to suck face already," she complained. "Did you see the way Sebastian was ogling Violet in her bikini top during our volleyball game today?" She shook her head, her blonde curls bobbing along with the movement.

Alex snickered. "He was kind of distracted, wasn't he?"

* * *

Sebastian sat at the edge of the western pier, staring out toward the dark waters of the nearly moonless night. He heard footsteps approach behind him and wondered if it was Maru coming to tell him she was heading home. But as he turned, the black-clad man instead found the pastel-haired farmer.

"Oh, hey, Violet," he greeted her. He tapped the wooden boards of the dock beside him. "Care to stare out into the dark abyss with me?"

"Recharging your social battery?" Violet inquired, taking a seat beside him and dangling her bare feet off of the pier.

"Yeah," Sebastian admitted. "Parties are just lots of commotion, too much social interaction…" he remarked. "More stress than fun, if you ask me." As he sighed, his tapered bangs twitched from his exhaled breath. "But it's Sam's birthday and I wanted to be there for my best friend."

Violet smiled at him. "You're a great friend, Sebastian," she assured him. For some reason, the farmer's smile made his heart race. He was finished with the nicotine patches, so the ex-smoker could not pin it on those anymore. Then again, she was not wearing a shirt, but that orange swimsuit. Volleyball was already a pain in the ass, but he could not keep focused on the game to save his life.

Her floral-colored hair fell just past her shoulders now, brushing against her skin when she moved her head. Why did that distract him so much? Was it because her shoulders were bare, and the bikini top showed off her toned muscles? Sebastian knew that Violet got a lot of exercise on the farm, but she always wore more clothing when he saw her. Well, except that first night, but that was an accident.

"Is everything okay?" Violet's voice gently pulled Sebastian away from his thoughts.

The dark-eyed man cleared his throat, "Sorry, just zoned out for a bit there," he apologized.

Violet tilted her head and angled her body toward him. "What about?"

Sebastian froze, realizing he needed to think of something fast. What else had he thought about lately other than Violet's body? Oh, right! "I uh… was wondering why my mom hasn't told me about what happened with her and dad." He directed his gaze toward the ocean so that he would not ogle Violet's cleavage. "My biological dad, not Demetrius," Sebastian clarified. "Penny's question about living outside of Pelican Town got me thinking about some early memories of just mom and me when I was young."

"I bet you were adorable!" Violet giggled, and Sebastian felt the heat rise in his face signaling his bashfulness.

"Eh, I grew out of it," he replied dismissively. "But you haven't."

Violet was caught off-guard by the comment and for a second he saw her expression contort from surprised, flattered, then offended. "Are you saying I look like a little kid?" she growled, crossing her arms over her chest.

Sebastian could not help but laugh. "Nah, just that I'm sure you were as cute as a kid as you are now."

The farmer's face went crimson this time. "Oh…" She hid her face behind her hands. "I need to stop jumping to conclusions, I'm sorry!" she squeaked.

Gently prying her fingers apart to see Violet's face, Sebastian kept laughing at her behavior. "Well, I am a jerk sometimes," he conceded, lowering her hands down to rest on her lap so he could look at her. "But I don't lie to you…"

Sebastian could feel the goosebumps on Violet's thigh and pulled back slightly. She was cold. The dark-haired man pulled off his t-shirt and handed it to the woman next to him. "Here, put this on."

Violet did not speak but accepted the shirt and pulled it over her head, threading her arms through the sleeves. "Aren't you going to get cold?"

His obsidian eyes gaze at Violet. She looked cute wearing a slightly oversized shirt. It hugged her curves more where the fabric hung more loosely. "I don't really get cold," he informed her.

"Then why did you keep your shirt on all day?"

Sebastian shrugged. "I'm not really comfortable blinding everyone with how pale I am," he said jokingly. "I already have a reputation as the local vampire."

Violet looked out at the open water beyond. "... You have a nice body, from what I've seen," the farmer shared with him. "I don't think there's anything to be ashamed about."

Sebastian was catatonic for a moment, unable to respond to the farmer's compliment. _She likes my body._ Had Violet been eyeing him all day the way he had her? Should he make a move? Should he wait for Violet to initiate? What made a moment feel right like Violet said she wanted the other night? Before Sebastian could form a coherent response, the farmer stood up. "It's getting late. I should get home…" she reported. Did she sound disappointed, or was he just being paranoid?

"I-I can walk you home!" Sebastian offered, springing to his feet to follow her down the pier toward the shore.

Violet declined the proposal. "You should walk Maru back, she's your sister, after all."

Okay, so his brotherly duties probably called for that, Sebastian had to admit to himself. But he was worried he let a perfectly good moment slip through his clumsy fingers. "Why don't I -"

Sebastian's rushed reply was interrupted by a scream as a board on the pier snapped and Violet's leg fell through the dock. Purely by reflex, he was able to catch Violet from falling with a hard thud, but the farmer gasped in pain. The man helped her sit down and gently maneuvered her leg through the new hole of splintered wood. Blood flowed freely from a long gash in her leg and Violet hugged her leg to her chest and hissed through her teeth, trying to bear the pain.

"D-do you want me to get help or would you rather me try to move you?" Sebastian asked in a panic, only to realize after posing the question that Violet may be unable to speak from the shock. But before he could ask her to nod or shake her head to make her choice, an odd green glow sprouted from Violet's palms applying pressure to her wound.

Soon, the deep cut itself began to shimmer light and slowly shrank down toward its center. Sebastian blinked, allowing his eyes to readjust as the dazzling beam disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. Violet's leg was fine. If not for the blood still dripping down her leg, Sebastian would have thought he had gone crazy for a moment.

"Violet… what just happened?" Sebastian could not quite relax with the adrenaline still pumping through his body.

The farmer gazed up at him, her eyes wide with shock as her fingers tracing the now-healed skin that had been stripped from her leg only moments ago. "I-I'm not sure…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a love/hate relationship with having this many characters in one scene. 
> 
> Also, for the "haters" thinking "Of course the dock breaks for plot convenience" and other blah, blah, blahs. I stated that the board was weak all the way back in chapter 17 of Part 1. I have a terrible habit of what my spouse has dubbed "sniper foreshadowing" aka dropping hints from ridiculous distances. I wonder if you all will notice any other hints now that I've mentioned it? ;D


	25. Seeing Clearly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet receives several visitors asking for favors - some larger than others. A conversation with Emily makes the farmer realize she should pay more attention to notice the mystical elements that exist in the world. Marnie and Shane talk about his progress since the incident at the cliffs. Harvey's eyes are opened to new possibilities when he meets a mysterious old man on the beach.

So much happened the night before that Violet's head was still reeling, even after she started her morning chores. To start, there was the relief that no one had seemed to care about her dating history. Maybe it was because they did not know Kyle, unlike her old friend group, and were more drawn to his version of events by his charismatic personality. Here in Pelican Town, the villagers got to know Violet and judge for themselves whether or not she was worthy of their friendship. In a way, the farmer felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. Violet could feel the shackles of her past slowing corroding, her mind snapping free from its iron grip.

Then there was her friendship with Sebastian. Somehow, it seemed strange to think they had only known each other for less than half a year, but being with him just felt _right_. Violet could be herself around him and although he always seemed to know exactly what to say to fluster her, the young woman could not help but wonder if this meant she was ready…

Her heart palpitated at the recent memory of Sebastian pulling his shirt from his torso and handing it to her, still warm from his own body heat. He even called Violet "cute." The agrarian seriously considered leaning her head to rest on his shoulder, but she chickened out after complimenting Sebastian did not respond when she complimented his figure and seemed generally discomforted by her remark. I messed up! Violet had thought in a panic and immediately sought an exit to the situation.

But then came the magic that healed her after the wooden board snapped and ravaged her leg. Violet could not quite fathom how she managed to heal herself. She only remembered the sharp, intense pain and the sight of her own blood and the far-off sound of Sebastian's voice. The woman had been blinded by the green light and instantly the pain subsided, leaving perfect, unbroken skin. Violet assumed Talla was teasing her when the syren referred to her as kin. But maybe… that really was the case? Could it be true that her ancestor was a goddess of the earth?

Violet felt a warm tongue lick her hand, and realized Bruno was trying to get her attention. The German shepherd sat on his haunches and looked up at his human with bright eyes and bushy tail. Blinking, Violet recognized she must have zoned out while tending to her crops, since she was standing in the middle of her field overwatering one of her tomato plants.

The floral-haired female chuckled as she stroked the large dog's head. "Sorry for worrying you, boy," Violet apologized to her loyal canine companion. "There's just… a lot on my mind right now." Violet was having a hard time focusing on the task at-hand.

Bruno's triangular ears flickered to one side, detecting approaching footsteps. He sprang into action, galumphing toward the path leading from town to Fairy Rose Farm to greet the source of the sound. "Why hello, Bruno!" Emily's voice greeted the dog, as the fluffy canine barked a friendly response.

Violet had not been expecting Emily, so the farmer wondered what prompted the visit from the local waitress. "Hey, Emily!" the dog's owner hailed their guest, closing the gap between them. "What brings you all the way out here this morning?"

"I actually came to see if I could borrow your axe." Emily knelt down in the lush grass to properly pet Bruno, who welcomed the attention with a rhythmic thump of his hind leg against the ground beneath him. "Oh, does that feel nice?" the sapphire-haired woman cooed, running her fingers along the dog's spine. The crop grower laughed as her dog surrendered himself to the pets and rolled over to expose his belly.

"My axe?" Violet repeated the request questioningly. "I'd be happy to do whatever it is myself, if you want. I've gotten stronger since I started farming here, you know." It was hard to take herself too seriously, but the farmer rolled up her sleeves to show off her hard-earned arm muscles with a chuckle. "See?"

Emily beamed. "That's so generous of you, Violet," the red-clad woman replied. "Do you remember how Shane said he had never been camping during that game last night?" The agriculturalist nodded to indicate she followed. "Well, I was thinking I might invite Shane to a special place I like to go, but it's completely blocked off by a huge log!" she explained. "I was hoping I could use your axe to remove it."

"I'll help any way I can," Violet assured her neighbor. She picked up her watering can to retrieve more water. "Let me finish with these crops quickly and then you can show me where to find this log."

The sapphire-haired woman clapped her hands together. "That works out splendidly, Violet!" she agreed. "Would you like some help watering your plants?" Violet froze. She did not know if she should let just anyone touch, let alone see her magically mutated crops.

"Uh, no thanks," the farmer uttered, deflecting Emily's offer. "It would take you more time than it's worth to go get the other watering can from the guest house. I'm almost finished anyway." That was not entirely untrue, Violet only had one more row of crops to tend. The gardener finished quickly and grabbed her axe. "Where to, Emily?"

"It's on the far end of the Cindersap Forest," the woman in the candy-red dress enlightened Violet. "I'll show you the way." The cultivator fell into step alongside Emily as they made their way south toward the forest. As the two made their way, Emily made an unexpected comment. "Did something good happen lately, Violet?"

The farmer flushed, flustered by the several options that ran through her head from the day before. "W-why do you ask?" Violet stuttered, trying not to completely shut Emily down, but also get more details before she embarrassed herself by answering what she assumed Emily meant. Robin teased her about liking someone in the village last season which resulted in Violet confessing that she believed Sebastian was attractive. The awkward woman vowed not to make the same mistake twice!

"Your aura is so much stronger than it was yesterday!" the saloon employee reported happily. "And the color has changed a bit. I've never seen someone with an ombre aura. It's quite unique!"

Violet tilted her head as they entered the clearing just east of Marnie's ranch and headed westward. "You can see auras?" Thinking back, Emily had mentioned her aura before, though the pastel-haired woman had written it off as just an aspect of Emily's quirkiness, just as Violet had originally dismissed Talla's tales about divine lineage and goddesses. Maybe she should pay more attention to these sorts of things.

"Of course, silly! Everyone projects an aura out into the universe," the spiritualist responded. "It's as much a part of a person as the body or mind."

"So it's like your soul?" Violet declared quizzically. "Or maybe your spirit?" She was not sure which vernacular to use in this situation.

Emily hummed ponderously at the question. "Not quite," she decided. "It's more like the glue that binds together everything that makes up who you are. Or a bridge between the mind, body, and soul." She hummed softly to the tune of the buzzing insects around them.

"So it's the Sparknotes version of a person?"

Emily giggled. "You're funny, Violet!" She sighed dreamily. "This world is full of spirits and magic…" the young woman stated reverently, gesturing to the gorgeous, lively forest around them. "Some don't believe it, but I know it's true." Emily's rose-colored lips pulled back in a friendly grin. "I can see it in your eyes…" she claimed, holding Violet's hand and pulling it close, "you believe in the other world, just like me!"

Violet was flustered by Emily's perceptive skills. "I-I used to not believe in it, but ever since I moved here…" the farmer trailed off for a moment, trying to sort through her opinions for a suitable reply. "Living in the Valley is different from life back in NuNu City, that's for sure."

"Farming life in Pelican Town agrees with you," Emily professed confidently. Her acorn-colored eyes glanced ahead. "Ah, here we are!" she announced, showing Violet the enormous old log that blocked a pathway beyond.

Violet was shocked she had never noticed there was a trail here, but then again there were bound to be things about her new hometown that she did not yet know. The amateur lumberjack took a swing at the gnarly segment of tree trunk, but her axe glanced off the bark like it was nothing. Frowning, Violet adjusted her stance and tried again, but the result was identical. "It looks like I need a better axe to chop this monstrosity up," the pastel-haired woman chuckled nervously.

"Oh, it's alright, Violet," Emily comforted the newest member of Pelican Town. "I appreciate you trying anyway."

The agrarian realized now was a good time as any to do some equipment upgrades before the fall. Anything Violet could do to make the start of the next season easier on herself would be a welcome change. Only her hoe was an iron one. The rest of her tools were all still basic level quality. It would take another trip to the mines to get enough iron to upgrade the axe, though. "If you don't mind waiting a few more days, I can still do it," Violet pledged to Emily. "I just need to gather some ores for some iron bars and then take my axe to Clint."

"You really don't have to do all that," Emily articulated. "You've already done more than enough to try and help me."

"No, I really should upgrade my tools anyway," Violet insisted, packing her axe in her bag. "Otherwise I'm going to be miserable come the next turn of the season. Thanks for the reminder!"

"I suppose we are in the latter half of Summer, aren't we?" Emily confirmed in agreement. Violet nodded, indicating her intent to still complete the job, even if it would be delayed. The red-clad woman threw her arms out to wrap Violet in a hug. "Oh, thank you. You're a wonderful person!" Violet had not been prepared for physical contact, but it was not unwelcome. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help!" Emily stipulated before dismissing herself to return to town and prepare for her shift at The Stardrop Saloon.

"Hey, Emily!" Violet shouted after the woman, prompting the local spiritualist to turn and face her once again. "You said I have a unique aura," the farmer indicated nervously, her fingers twisting around one another to occupy her hands. "What does it look like?"

Beaming, Emily shared her knowledge. "Before it was a bit faint and matched your hair," the sapphire-haired woman explained. "But now it radiates out much further and it starts out as green at the core and slowly transitions into a vibrant purple." The barmaid twittered. "Like a field of wildflowers!"

* * *

Shane parked himself at the kitchen table, nursing a giant glass of ice water. It was not his favorite drink being so bland, but maybe he should work on it becoming just that. It was good to hydrate often, right? Doctor Harvey always tried to harp on him about the benefits, but quite frankly Shane could not remember them at the moment.

Either way, Shane needed a pick-me-up. His muscles screamed at him from both the punishment from training with Alex earlier this week and from the volleyball game the night before. He really ought to stretch or do some gentle exercise to help with the soreness. But looking around, nothing really motivated him. Shane felt trapped. For some reason, it was easier to make progress when he was out of the house, but the instant he walked through the front door, his motivation evaporated like rain on a hot summer day.

The dark-haired man sighed audibly and rested his head on his arms and leaned over to flop his upper body onto the kitchen table. It was not particularly comfortable, but Shane did not care.

"Is something the matter, Shane?" Marnie asked, pulling out the chair opposite him and taking a seat. "You seem down, nephew."

Shane peered over the fern at the center of the table toward his aunt. "I'm just an exhausted heap of pain right now, Aunt Marn," he explained with a miserable groan. "I've been more physically and socially active in the past four days than I have been in ages." He heaved a heavy sigh. "I just need to recover…"

The rancher rose from her chair and grabbed a banana from the hook on the countertop. "Here, one of these should help," she told Shane, peeling it for him and sticking it in his open mouth to silence his protests.

Chewing pensively, Shane downed the first mouthful. "You don't need to coddle me, Marnie," the grown man explained. "I need to find a way to feel more in control of my life right now." He grunted, resting his forehead on the tabletop. "I feel like I'm still stuck in a holding pattern until I find whatever the hell it is I'm supposed to do with my life." He took another bite of his banana. "And for now, I don't even have my job at Joja Mart to fall back on until my mandatory sick leave is finished." Shane had a feeling the policy was to ensure no further attempts on his own life were made on company property or attributed to their abysmal working conditions, rather than the kindness of the upper administrations hearts.

"Jas has really appreciated all the extra time with you," Marnie pointed out, to which Shane imparted that he was aware. "You've been doing well with all the animals and preparing shipments for our customers."

"The goats are out to get me," Shane asserted, raising the tattered end of his shirt. "Giddy tried to take a chunk out of me this morning."

Marnie chuckled. "She's just trying to be friendly!" she defended the old goat.

Shane shrugged. "They like you better because you secretly favor all the barn animals - the cows, pigs and goats…" Marnie hushed him, so the other animals would not hear and become jealous upon discovering her bias. "But that's okay, I actually really like caring for the coop animals…" Shane finished. "Charlie has really grown on me."

Marnie let her nephew's words sink in for a moment. "Are you suggesting we split our duties on the ranch? Or that you want to break off and start your own fowl farm?"

His dark eyes met Marnie's warm chestnut orbs. "And move where?" he queried incredulously. "It's not like there's any land for sale - or that I have enough money saved up to move out and start my own business."

The livestock farmer's face contorted as she considered the issue. "I'll see what we can do for you, Shane." If Shane split off and took over the coops on his own farm, Marnie would not make as much profit, but then again, her operational costs would also be reduced.

"Don't trouble yourself too much," Shane demanded, finally lifting his head from the table. "It was a crazy idea to begin with. I just thought it would be good to get a change of scenery. My room is still so depressing even after I got the layer of dust and grime off everything, but I don't want to leave Jas."

Marnie bobbed her head in understanding and stood up. "We'll figure something out. We always do," the brunette assured her nephew. She hovered beside him and gave his shoulders a squeeze. "It's incredible to see you like this," the brunette opined with a wide grin. "Even if you are exhausted, you seem to be doing better. The difference from just half a season ago when I got that horrible call from Doctor Harvey…" She swept up his head in her arms and held him close. "I'm so relieved, Shane!"

Her nephew felt a pang of guilt as he felt Marnie's embrace, happy tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm going to be fine, okay?" Shane grumbled, averting his gaze while attempting to gently push away from the physical contact. "You're embarrassing me, Aunt Marnie!"

"Oh, let an old girl be happy for a moment!" the rancher protested, swatting his hand away.

* * *

Harvey essentially moped around ever since he abruptly left Sam's birthday party on the beach. Maru had followed him to make sure he was okay that night, but the physician had little to say on the matter. "I failed her," was all Harvey stated.

"Even doctors are just regular people," Maru reminded him before he disappeared into the clinic to head to bed that night. "Medical professionals can do everything right and still lose a patient. Please don't blame yourself!"

But it was far too late for that. Harvey blamed himself every single day for Heather's death. Perhaps that was part of the reason he chose to provide a clinic to a tiny community like Pelican Town. While the loss of a patient was inevitable one day, the fewer the residents in a town, the less likely the clinician was to experience that again. Harvey was unsure whether his heart could take it again. So in several ways, choosing to live in a little coastal village was a safe option. Even if he did not make a lot of money he could bear it.

Maru had done her best to distract Harvey with a lively exchange during her shift. After a few moments into Robin's annual check-up it became clear that his nursing assistant told her mother about the incident at Sam's party. Even as he tried to put on a chipper air about himself, Robin was trying to bolster his spirits and provide comfort in knowing that all one can do is their best given their circumstances.

So, on this rainy Friday, Harvey felt even more down on himself than usual as he stood at the front desk of the clinic, watching the raindrops collect on the window panes. Normally, on days like today he would head to The Stardrop Saloon. But as of this Summer, Harvey visited Talla on Friday and Sunday each week. Would he disappoint the merchant if he did not show up today?

Harvey doubted that Talla would care all that much. He had gone to see her every weekend since the beginning of Summer. But just when he made up his mind to ditch both his usual plans to continue his pity party in the comfort of his own home, the physician heard the strangest sound. It was an eerie cry, like a wounded animal beckoning others for help. It made the hairs on his arms and neck stand on end. It could not possibly be a person, could it? Either way, Harvey did not want to take the risk of leaving someone out in this rain, injured and afraid.

The brunet flung on his raincoat and donned a hat to keep dry as he rushed to get ready. Snatching up his leather travel bag, the mustached man flipped the clinic sign to "CLOSED" before braving the damp weather outdoors and locking the door behind him.

* * *

For the second time this week, Violet had an unexpected visitor on Fairy Rose Farm. Marnie, dressed for the rainy weather in a Kelley green raincoat and copper-orange boots, smiled brightly as the farmer answered the door. "Hello, Violet!" the neighboring landowner greeted the young woman. "I hope you're having a good morning, despite the rain."

Violet shrugged, "The rain means I get to relax and enjoy an unproductive morning," she chuckled. "The crops are already watered!"

Marnie nodded introspectively. "Oh, I bet that's nice. The cows and goats need milking, rain or shine!" she reacted, genuinely happy for the younger woman. "But they are wonderful creatures, so I don't mind."

"Are you looking for more cave carrots?" Violet inquired, since that was the last item Marnie requested from her.

The brunette shook her head. "Oh, sorry, Violet. I should really get to the point so you don't keep getting rain in your doorway," Marnie expressed regret at her rude behavior. She tugged at her thick, auburn braid. "The thing is - A little birdie told me that you have a guest house here on your farm…" The rancher fidgeted nervously before continuing. "If it's not too much trouble, I was wondering if you might want some help on the farm in exchange for living in the house that's empty most of the year anyway…"

Confused, Violet furrowed her brow. "You want to live in my guest house?" she asked to clarify.

Marnie's warm eyes widened. "Oh!" she hooted, her sides shaking with amusement. "Oh, no dear. Not me! My nephew, Shane." The animal breeder explained the situation. "You see, Shane told me yesterday that a change of scenery might help him on his way to recovery. I went to the Mayor to ask about any affordable land for sale, but I'm afraid the prices are out of this old girl's budget." The woman with the braided hair frowned at the thought of the conversation and Violet wondered if she and Lewis might have been reduced to a shouting match.

"Anyway," Marnie verbalized. "Shane wanted to start his own coop and I was hoping that if you agreed to have some help on the farm, he could care for the animals in the coop and maybe do some chores on the farm in exchange for living in the house."

Violet considered the idea. Marnie was right, the house was empty most of the time. She did not expect Zach to visit again anytime soon and if Bex came back, she would probably want to stay with Violet in the main farmhouse. Not to mention it would help a neighbor. While Violet and Shane were not particularly close, there was something about seeing someone at their lowest that made her feel the need to help if she could. If a move out of Marnie's house could help Shane get on his feet, she should help. It was literally not going to cost Violet anything and the farmer would still have the privacy of her own home. She would have bought a coop for herself soon anyway, if only to get the items that the Junimos requested.

"He might have to use his old room again when I have family coming to visit," Violet mused aloud. "And I don't think I can get the coop right away since I need to make a bit more money and some tool upgrades were on my to-do list before that," she told her visitor, "but I'm sure Shane is more than capable of watering some crops. I even have a spare watering can in the guest house." Violet informed Marnie of her decision with a reassuring smile. "If Shane wants to live in the guest house, he's more than welcome."

The brunette's face beamed with delight. "Oh, thank you, Violet!" she said, scooping the young woman up in a crushing hug. "We'll make it worth your while, I promise."

"You really don't have to do anything," Violet finally pat Marnie's back to tap out of the embrace and the woman got the hint. "It's literally an empty house no one lives in, I'd be heartless not to let someone use it."

"Oh, thank you!" Marnie squealed, gathering up the end of her long dress so she did not trip over it down the stairs. "I'll run home and tell Shane! I'm sure he'll be delighted." Violet watched the woman disappear into the mist of the rainy day.

"I guess I need to make a lot of money soon," Violet thought aloud. Both for the tool upgrades and to purchase a coop in the near future. The farmer realized she should prepare ahead of time. I should probably ask the gang if they want to hit up the mines with me, she reasoned. That was always a good way to make money and Violet needed more iron anyway. She did not have enough ore to make the necessary bars so Clint could enhance her farming equipment. The gardener turned on the TV to check the luck forecast. Hm, bad luck day. No good. Still, Violet acknowledged she should ask ahead of time to be polite.

*Are you all open to dungeon crawling in the mines the next time we get a good luck day? I need some supplies.* Violet texted their group chat.

 ***YAAAASSSSS!*** Abigail returned immediately. ***I NEED to fight some monsters!***

 ***And I love to watch Abigail in action.*** Sam added with a flirty wink emoji. ***I'm in, so long as I'm not working that day.***

 ***Sounds good to me.*** Sebastian rejoined. ***Just make sure to let us know first thing in the morning so we can maximize the loot.***

 ***Great! Today is no good, but I'll check on it as soon as I get up in the mornings until we get a good day for it.*** Violet told her friends. ***See you all at the saloon tonight!***

 ***Prepare to be crushed, losers!*** Abigail declared.

 ***Says the one who lost most recently…*** Sebastian shot back.

***Are you forgetting Violet's brother beat you?***

Sebastian did not accept that answer. ***That's only because I had to leave!*** Violet blushed at the reminder that Sebastian willingly lost a game of pool to run after her when he assumed she was upset and the kiss to her cheek that followed.

 ***To avoid the shame of the fallen.*** Abigail brutally countered.

 ***Oooh, fan those flames!*** Sam replied, followed by a laughing emoji.

 ***Alright, you two. enough!*** Violet proclaimed, while she was entertained by all this, the farmer had things to do today. ***Words are cheap. We'll settle this in person!***

***Now THAT'S the spirit, V!***

* * *

Harvey followed the haunting sound toward the beach and eastward toward the tide pools. _Is it coming from the ocean?_ The doctor wondered as he noticed the moaning became louder as he approached the shoreline.

A hand grabbed his shoulder, startling Harvey, and he turned to see an old, bearded man shake his head. "Best not heed the pleas of the merfolk unless ya got fins and a pair of gills, son," the sailor cautioned, lifting the brim of his hat so the practitioner could better see his weather-worn face. "Even then, they might make a meal of ya," he cackled, releasing his grip from the medic's shoulder.

While Harvey would be remiss to believe an old tall tale like that, something in his gut told him that it was unsafe to continue his search. "You're sure it's not someone stranded out there?"

A cackle rang out into the air, despite the rain dampening all other sounds. "My girls are in no danger, I promise, lad." The man's cloud-grey eyes twinkled as he added, "Speakin' of my girls, I hear a lot about you from my eldest guppy. Sounds like you've caught 'er eye - for better or worse!"

"Guppy?" Harvey parroted in confusion. Had he misheard because of the rain or was this man that dedicated to his fish jokes?

The mariner's lips pulled back into a smirk, the sunbaked skin of his face stretching taught in his cheeks. "Ya know my Eshie, don't ya?" he began, whistling out a high-pitched tune of a well-known sea shanty as he stepped onto the pier out toward the water.

"Sir?" Harvey followed the man anxiously, concerned he might lose his footing and fall into the water.

The bearded man's old leather boots clacked onto the wooden boards of the dock and as they approached the edge, Harvey detected movement in the water that did not match the pulse of the tide. A silvery gleam in the water made the bespectacled man curious enough to squat down to get a closer look.

Suddenly, a head popped out of the water, causing Harvey to fall backward. It was humanoid in shape, but the details were all wrong. The creature's skin was glittering silver, like a piece of brilliantly polished metal. In its hair, pieces of kelp and small shells adorned the coral-pink strands. The eyes were unnervingly wide, like a squid and as it opened its mouth, Harvey noticed rows of sharp, jagged teeth. "Yes, father?" the creature asked, looking up at the old man.

The doctor found himself at a loss for words. Surely, this was some kind of practical joke? Elaborate costuming for a movie or other form of media? Was he being filmed so the audience back home could laugh at his reactions?

"Call Eshie, would ya?" the blue-clad sailor requested. "My whistlin' won't reach 'er this far, ya know."

The creature's mouth stretched and its teeth bared in a manner that somewhat resembled a smirk. "Of course, father," it responded obediently. Harvey thought the voice sounded feminine now that he was not so panicked. She took a deep breath, then stretched out her neck and cried out with a blood-curdling shriek. Despite himself, the clinician hid behind the old man so that there was a barrier between him and the sea creature.

"I suppose ya aren't used to this stuff yet, lad," the bearded man laughed, stroking his greying beard. "It'll come in time."

The female in the water tilted her head curiously. "Who is this, father?" Her large eyes scanned the doctor and her mouth hung open slightly as she did. "Is he joining us for a meal?" Harvey did not like the way she worded that question in combination with the hunger in her tone. Not one bit.

But the mariner put a protective hand out in front of him, keeping the monster at bay. "Now, now Neri…"

The creature huffed, crossing finned arms over her torso, but said nothing. Harvey became more curious as the minutes dragged on with nothing occurring, so he slowly crept closer to the edge of the pier, out from behind the old mariner.

After further observation, the mustached man realized that the woman had scales and a tail on the lower half of her body, matching the color of her hair. She tread water effortlessly, chatting with her father about news that Harvey did not understand. He removed his glasses to rub his eyes and clean the lenses. Surely there must be something wrong with his sight right now. As he used the hem of his shirt to scrub the glass on his spectacles clean, something else broke the surface of the water, startling Harvey. His glasses slipped from his grasp as he tried to scramble out of range.

Harvey instinctively reached out to attempt to save them from falling into the water, but he knew it was too late. It was strange, however, he did not hear them plop into the sea as he expected. Instead, he spied a blurred, golden figure - bright and shining against the grey of the rainy day. "You dropped these, Doctor," a voice advised him. The nearly-blind man instantly recognized it.

"Talla?"

The medic felt something slippery touch his hand and he could make out the shimmering gold form inching closer. A gentle touch to his face made him realize that Talla was putting his glasses back on his face, as a small window from which he could view his surroundings properly slowly approached his face.

Harvey found himself inches away from a golden humanoid creature with thick, curly hair and serrated teeth. Talla beamed at him, cackling quietly at the look on his face. "Hello, Catfish."


	26. Cultivating Friendships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Violet does some reflecting while tending to her crops. Elliott wonders how to best thank Penny to the success of his publication. Sebastian laments to Sam about the night before. Shane moves onto Fairy Rose Farm. Haley lends Leah a hand. Violet and Maru spend some time chatting on the patio.

Violet tended to her garden first thing Saturday morning, having gone to bed early the night before. Sebastian canceled the usual Friday pool match due to a family obligation for Demetrius' birthday. It was disappointing, but Violet could not exactly fault him for it. According to Sebastian, Demetrius' original plan had been to go camping to find a particular bird on another near-by mountain range, but that idea had been ruined by the rain. Sebastian assumed they would just do a family dinner and he would be free to go to The Stardrop Saloon, but instead Robin demanded they do something as a family. So, in an attempt to try an activity catered to his step-son's interests, Demetrius requested "Solarion Chronicles: The Game."

The farmer wondered how that went, but Violet supposed it would be better to hear about it in-person next time they hung out. So, instead of pool, Violet spent the evening chatting with Elliott, Leah, Sam, and Abigail. However, the couple among the group immediately disappeared after Violet mentioned that the empty guest cabin would have a new resident. She had a feeling they snuck off to make use of the place one last time. At least they made sure to leave the guest house in the condition they found it. Shane was supposed to move into the empty dwelling later that day and there were a few chores that Violet still wanted to complete before helping her new tenant move into his house.

First, she needed to create a simple twine-and-stick fence around the mutant plants just so Shane would remember not to touch them. The farmer did not want to be responsible for accidentally irradiating anyone and if a barrier were already present, and in case Shane forgot her instructions regarding the care of the crops, he would think twice before attempting to water or touch them. While she planned on telling Shane specifically not to touch or tend to the magic crops, Violet had to plan for the possibility that he may arrive while she ran errands.

Secondly, Demetrius sent mail this morning asking for a melon and Violet fully intended to use the opportunity to try to speak with Sebastian. Not only did she want to apologize for panicking him but Violet also thought it might be a good idea to compare notes on abilities they each had discovered. Maybe they could help each other practice.

But, despite her pure intentions, Violet caught herself thinking about her time on the pier with Sebastian. How his touch made her shiver. The sparkle in his eyes that made her feel weak and breathless. Even this shirt that he offered to her, warm and soft. Violet had jumped to the conclusion that Sebastian's silence was a bad thing after she word-vomited a compliment. It was possible she just caught him off-guard the way he always managed to do with her. Maybe Sebastian was trying to feel out how she felt before he responded. The cultivator growled in frustration. If only that stupid, old dock had not snapped underfoot.

Still, the unexplained occurrences made Violet determined to get to the bottom of them. Did her grandmother have these abilities, too? Did her mother? What about Zach? And if her mom and brother did not share the magical abilities, how did she broach the subject with them without sounding like a crazy person?

* * *

Elliott held his breath as he slid the final copy of his manuscript into the mail slot and heard the muffled thud on the parcel hitting the bottom of the metal box. He cringed slightly, though he was confident he had packaged the documents with care so they should not be harmed from a little rough handling. The author's heart was aflutter and a great burden was now lifted from his shoulders.

How shall I celebrate? Elliott contemplated as he turned heel to head back toward the beach. But immediately he rejected the notion. _No, no, I mustn't hex myself with festivities until my published novel is in hand._

Truth be told, this was the first time Elliott finished a novel. Previously, he only wrote short stories or poems that would occasionally be picked up by rather niche independent magazines or otherwise completely ignored. No, this time he had encouragement from another person who believed in his ability and it made a world of difference. Elliott knew that he could not have made it this far without Miss Penelope's help and wanted a tangible gift of appreciation. Yes, of course, he had already made a small hand-bound notebook, but that was not enough to repay her for the hours she poured into the project. But what?

If memory served the author correctly, Miss Penelope's birthday was early next season. Only three days before his own, though Elliott assumed she was her senior by a few years. Perhaps if Elliott planned ahead enough, he could do something on a grander scale to show his appreciation in addition to honor her day of birth. The long-locked poet did not own anything suitable to give a lady, so he would have to either purchase a gift or craft it himself. Other than binding books and wood craft itself, Elliott acknowledged that he did not have many skills to draw upon for the task.

The man paused on the stone bridge that crossed the river toward the beach to gaze at the churning waters below. Little minnows played in the current, their tiny silvery bodies catching the sun every so often, like bits of precious metal below the surface. Elliott sighed heavily. Miss Penelope would undoubtedly claim to like whatever gift he gave out of politeness. She was a genuine lady in that regard.

Elliott racked his brain, trying to recall if Miss Penelope mentioned a desire for anything he could obtain before he received his payment and royalties for the book. Alas, staring at the river-dwelling fish did not inspire him, so he returned home to sit at his writing desk to brainstorm ideas. The man's honey-colored eyes rest on the miniscule, ruby-red rose bush on the table top. "Of course!" Elliott exhaled quietly before he leapt to his feet, heading toward Fairy Rose Farm.

* * *

"Sorry I had to bail last night," Sebastian expressed to Sam regretfully, settling down on the chair at the blond's computer desk. The aspiring musician laid on his bed, his feet propped up on the wall next to it as he strummed a few chords on his guitar, searching for the right progression for a new song.

"No worries, fam," Sam assured the programmer, adjusting his grip on the pick before running it across the guitar strings again. "Family comes right, right?"

Sebastian scowled in complaint. "The whole game felt so forced and awkward..." To make the situation worse, he really wanted to talk to Violet last night but was blocked by his step-father's demand to play Solarian Chronicles. "We were literally all in the same house the entire day," Sebastian added. "It's not like we didn't have a chance to spend time together beforehand."

"But how did they do?" Sam inquired with a teasing grin, generally curious how the rest of his best friend's family dealt with role playing games.

Sebastian heaved an exasperated sigh. "About how you'd expect," the DM replied with a groan just thinking about it. "Demetrius took forever to make any decisions and wanted to know more behind the statistical likelihood of any outcome he could think of before coming to a conclusion." The hoodie-wearer leaned back, balancing the stool on only two of its legs. "And he didn't understand separating player knowledge from character knowledge!" Sebastian lamented in irritation.

"What did he try to do?" Sam wanted to know.

"He wanted to essentially poison the water supply for the orc settlement, but of course his warrior did not have the skill set for it." Sebastian pinched the skin above the bridge of his nose. "I had to argue with him that even Maru's sorcerer couldn't accomplish that with her spells."

Sam burst into laughter. "So no help from the rest of the family, huh?"

Sebastian's face fell. "Mom and Maru were equally bad in different ways." Sam discontinued plucking the strings of his instrument and sat up.

The older of the two shook his head and elaborated. "Maru tried to leverage minor ambiguities in the rulebook in her favor, which normally wouldn't be a big deal if her ideas didn't break the game."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Sam questioned aloud, now leaning forward with interest in Sebastian's account of events.

His best friend groaned. "Since the rules don't explicitly state you have to choose between the suggested actions I present to the party, Maru came up with her own original answers to each problem," Sebastian explained. "Which is usually fine in a campaign where I've already had to do all the world-building, NPC backstories, and general set-up, but I don't have a lot of experience improvising off-the-cuff like that for a pre-made scenario that I didn't make!"

Sam's smile only widened as Sebastian continued his rant. "And mom insisted on giving her healer an inconsistent 'quirky' accent that was like nails on a chalkboard to my ears."

"The only thing that would make this better would be if they asked you DM for them again," the blond hooted.

Sebastian's expression was a mixture of crestfallen and agonized. "How did you know?" he groaned miserably.

* * *

Violet gently packed a melon for Demetrius and shouldered her backpack, ready to head up toward the mountain trail when Elliott came into view. The farmer was beginning to wonder what made her so inexplicably popular lately with the rate at which visitors came to Fairy Rose Farm.

Elliott's crisp attire looked so out of place on a farm, but the former modern aristocrat held himself in a dignified manner all the same. "Oh dear," the poet began. "I see you are heading out," the silky-haired man observed sheepishly. "Shall I come back at another time?"

The floral-haired woman shook her head and stifled a sigh. "No, it's okay," she promised her friend. "How can I help you, Elliott?"

Brushing a bit of sand from his cuff, Elliott made his request. "I was hoping I might use a small plot of land to grow a melon."

Violet tilted her head in confusion. "A melon?" she repeated quizzically.

Elliott flushed in embarrassment. "You see, Miss Violet. Miss Penelope was most helpful in my efforts to publish a book and now that everything is complete, I wish to give her a present I have made with my own labor." He smiled in a charming manner. "I discovered at the Luau that she is quite fond of melons."

"That's sweet of you, Elliott," Violet praised the man. A melon seemed like an odd gift, though Elliott was a bit eccentric himself. "But it's too late in the season to start growing any melons. Only established plants are going to supply any fruit to harvest at this point."

The man's face fell. "Oh, how silly of me to forget such a thing," Elliott lamented quietly. His gold-brown eyes glanced at the agrarian hopefully. "Do you know of anything I could grow in this short amount of time?"

Violet chuckled. "Well, there are peppers, radishes," the farmer saw the poet's frown deepen until she ended with, "and a few varieties of flowers."

Elliott's eyes began to sparkle with possibility. "Oh, the language of flowers is such a rich and ancient art!" he declared. "Could I perhaps grow agrimony?"

Smiling, the planter had to lower her friend's expectations a bit. "Your choices are spangles, sunflowers, and poppies," Violet informed the aspiring gardener, holding up a finger for each species.

The poet tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Spangles are not elegant enough for Miss Penelope," Elliott reasoned aloud. "Sunflowers would convey my adoration most accurately, but…"

"But what?" Violet queried the well-dressed man as she shifted her weight between her legs.

He looked down at the farmer, clearly distressed. "I wish to make these flowers last longer in some manner - the most simple technique is of course pressing the blooms, but with a sunflower that would be difficult."

Violet nodded. They were a bulky flower, even if they were bright and cheerful. "What about poppies, then?" the woman suggested. "Their blooms are relatively easy to flatten and they come in a variety of colors."

Elliott beamed with approval. "Oh course, a poppy would certainly complement Miss Penelope's refined nature." He paused briefly, "Though I hope she would not misinterpret my intentions should she read into their meaning."

"Flower language stuff?" Violet clarified. She knew a little bit since she loved plants so much, but never delved into the subject or history of it all.

The author bobbed his head. "Each color has a different significance and then of course the meaning is not consistent throughout the cultures of the world."

"So give her at least one of each and that way she knows you simply enjoy the look of them," Violet advised Elliott. "If the meanings contradict one another, I'm sure Penny would realize they're purely for aesthetics."

Elliott considered this for a moment. "Yes, I suppose that would do it," he conceded. He clapped his hands together. "Does this mean you will allow me to lease a small portion of your land, Miss Violet?"

Violet shrugged. "It's not like I'm using it all right now," she responded, gesturing to the portion of land she had yet to clear. "Besides, I plan on making some bee houses once I have the necessary iron and I'm sure they would love the nectar." The agrarian was sure there would not be enough time for the bees to provide any specialized honey, but Violet wanted to assure her verbose friend that his request was not a major inconvenience. Though she wondered if she would get around to delivering the melon to Demetrius before it was time to move Shane into the guest house. Violet exhaled audibly. _I suppose this is the introvert's cost for having friends,_ she reasoned as she watched Elliott tied up his fine hair with a decorative scarf before she instructed him on how to properly hoe the designated plot of land.

* * *

Moving was always a pain in the ass, but Shane was comforted by the fact that did not have many possessions worth moving. Fortunately for the chicken man, Violet prepared for his arrival the day before by clearing a new pathway through the pine tree grove in the southwest corner of the farm where his new home stood so it was more easily accessible when coming from the southern entrance to the farm.

This, in combination with Emily and Violet volunteering to help him carry his things to the cabin on Fairy Rose Farm, made the whole process much smoother than Shane anticipated. Haley, on the other hand, who was voluntold by her older sister to assist with the move, did not particularly care for physical labor of any kind. Despite her griping, the blonde did help move the boxes from Shane's room to the new house for a while before she disappeared to do other things. Shane was not sure where Emily's sister went, but the larger items were already in the house anyway.

Marnie had removed the couch cushion covers on his red sofa and washed them thoroughly along with his jade green rug. The rest of the upholstered furniture had been mainly stain-free and luckily some soap and hot water got out the worst of the beer stains for the affected items. Once their team of three got the couch in the house, Emily added her own touch with a few pillows she made herself. They depicted cute little farm scenes featuring chickens, mainly. Charlie was especially noticeable on one and Shane was pleasantly surprised by the gift. "They look great, Emily," he told her appreciatively as she fluffed the pillows before setting them on either end of the couch.

Emily beamed with delight. "I'm so glad you like your housewarming gift, Shane." The sapphire-haired woman sat on the couch and leaned against a pillow for a comfort test. She dipped her head in satisfaction. "Oh yes, this will do nicely!"

Violet picked up one of the pillows to inspect it. "Emily, you made this?" the pastel-haired woman asked in shock. "It's adorable!" she squealed.

The textile crafter laughed. "I had very cute models to help inspire me," Emily enlightened her admirers. "And once you cut out the shapes, the detailing is actually pretty easy!"

Shane grinned and fished a photo out of one of the packed boxes. "In that case, I think Charlie's picture should go right here above the table," the poultry rancher stated, holding it up along the wall for the others to see.

"It looks great there," Emily agreed, taking the pillow back from Violet and placing it beside her.

"Very thematic," Violet chortled, grabbing a hammer and a nail for Shane to affix the portrait of his loyal hen on the wall. "You would think this is a chicken coop."

"All it needs is a hay trough," Shane cackled, tapping the nail into the wall and hooking the loop on the back of the frame to it. He adjusted it to one side, making it level before stepping back to appreciate his work. "And somewhere to roost."

"If you want to add a loft to the house, that one's on you," Violet notified her new tenant, with a pat to his shoulder.

"Nah, I'd probably fall and break something," he replied with a jocular smirk. "I'll keep my feet on the ground where they belong." Shane began to take a few belongings out of the boxes around him to unpack the rest of his possessions and Violet took that as an opportunity to excuse herself.

"I have some errands to run, but let me know if you need anything when I get back," the farmer instructed her closest neighbor as she headed out the door in the early evening sunshine. "Remember not to touch the plants until our lesson tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah," Shane returned dismissively, but Violet was already on the porch and headed north toward the mountain path.

Emily stood to join Shane in unpacking his things. "It was nice of Violet to lend her guest cabin out," the red-clad woman thought aloud.

Shane could not help but agree. "I was surprised when Marnie came to me with the news," he admitted bashfully. "I didn't think it was possible to move out somewhere and get a fresh start."

Emily hummed happily. "Well, the energy of this place is much brighter, so I'm sure you'll thrive from here on out!" she proclaimed with an air of confidence that made it sound like an undeniable fact. Her warm brown eyes scanned the room. "It's small, but places like this are much easier to keep clean," the barmaid mused. "My parents' house is too big."

"I like simple things, too," Shane concurred, tucking his clean clothing away in a drawer. He did not used to do this, but with Emily around he felt the need to tidy up. "But Marnie's place needed to be big enough to accommodate Jas and me, too. Not to mention the shop."

"Jas is a little sweetheart," Emily expressed with a smile. "She has a wonderful imagination!"

Shane opened another box of clothes. They looked surprisingly clean, but then again, he supposed he basically lived in his Joja Mart uniform for ages. He glanced down at the shirt in his hand. Would Emily notice if he started sporting a normal wardrobe again? He held a shirt up to his body, curious if it would even fit anymore. It had been a while and he gained some weight since he last wore it.

Emily seemed to notice something was on his mind. "Oh, we should talk about what you're going to wear when you announce your mayoral candidacy!"

The stubbly man blinked in surprise. "Is Haley actually serious about being my campaign manager? It's only a small town local election, after all."

"While my sister is a bit more materialistic than I am," the amateur fashion designer began, "she doesn't make a promise lightly." Emily removed a few shirts from the boxes and held them up to Shane. "So rest assured, Haley means it!" She shook her head at a series of plain t-shirts.

"Whereas I see we'll need to get to work on your wardrobe!" Emily proclaimed with excitement. The woman gently grabbed Shane's wrist and led him toward the door. "Come with me, all my supplies are back home."

"I still have some unpacking to do!" Shane protested half-heartedly. He really did not mind waiting until later, but he was nervous about being alone in Emily's house with her again.

Emily rejected the excuse. "Oh, there's not much. Besides," she reasoned, "I'll need time to properly tailor everything so the sooner we start, the better!"

"I'm just a new mannequin to you today, aren't I?"

The woman in the ruby red dress snorted, and the bright smile reached her soft brown eyes. "Don't be silly, Shane," she told him, tapping her finger to his nose, and making his heart flutter. "You're also an adorable blue chicken!"

* * *

Haley was headed back toward Marnie's ranch to retrieve another of Shane's moving boxes when she spied Leah acting strangely under the big fruit tree in the Cindersap Forest. She was hopping like a rabid rabbit, so the blonde went to go make sure the artist was alright.

The ginger startled when Haley got close, jumping slightly upon realizing she was not alone. "Oh! Haley! You scared me," she cried between pants.

"What are you doing?" the woman in the blue dress inquired, trying to tone down the judgement in her voice.

Leah's slate-colored eyes gazed up toward the branches of the enormous tree. "See that fruit up there?" she answered, pointing up at the lower limbs. "It looks delicious, doesn't it?" Luckily, the sculptor did not wait for a response from Haley. "But I can't reach it!"

Haley thought for a second, then dropped her hip to one side so she stood in a lateral lunge, confusing Leah as she reached out her hand. "Stand on my thigh," the blonde instructed, tapping her quadriceps. "Once you're confident in your balance, I'll make a foothold with my hands and push you up."

"You're going to… lift me?" Leah repeated doubtfully.

The blonde rolled her baby blue eyes. "I used to do it for cheer all the time, you'll be fine as long as you remain calm and keep your posture straight." Haley's hand tapped her leg again. "C'mon," she urged the red-head. "I don't have all day, you know."

Leah took Haley's hand and stepped up, wobbling slightly before finding her balance. The artist beamed. "That's not so bad!" she acknowledged, but her arms still did not reach the fruit she desired.

Haley grinned encouragingly, "Now, see what I'm doing here with my hands?" she said, cupping them together close to Leah's knee. "Put your left foot on my hands and when you're ready, I'm going to stand using my legs and push you upward." She cautioned Leah, "I'm not going to be able to hold you up like that for long, so make sure you're prepared to land safely on your own."

"Okay…" Leah nodded in understanding, gently placing the ball of her foot into the foothold Haley created for her. "Ready when you are!"

"One, two, three! HA!" Haley counted, catapulting Leah upward in one fluid motion. Leah reacted quickly, snatching the fruit from the branch and prepared herself to fall. But Haley caught her and instead of falling with a hard thud, the ex-cheerleader allowed Leah's body to slide down on her own, reducing the force of her descent.

Leah laughed in surprise. "You're stronger than you look!" the forager disclosed, handing Haley the fruit they successfully obtained. "Here, have a piece."

Normally, Haley did not eat strange food, but it was such an inviting shade of pink. The blonde shrugged, accepting the fruit, and took a small bite. Her bright blue eyes grew wide as saucers. "It's delicious!" she announced, handing it back to Leah, who immediately took a bite herself.

"I knew it!" she proclaimed triumphantly through a mouthful of fruit, wiping the sides of her mouth to keep in the juices. Leah handed it back to Haley. "Want another bite?"

Haley looked dubious. "Isn't that kind of…" her voice trailed off, not sure how to finish her question politely.

Leah assumed she knew the answer. "Oh, I'm not sick so as long as you aren't we're probably fine," the ginger clarified. "I should have checked to make sure you were feeling well beforehand." The taller woman beamed at her. "Besides, good food should be shared!"

Cerulean blue eyes rolled in their sockets. "It's not like I would have lifted you if I were feeling sick." She accepted the small fruit and took another bite before handing it back to Leah. The blonde felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she did so, however. Why did this feel so intimate while Leah just blew it off so casually? The blonde felt her reddening cheeks. Maybe she was sick after all.

* * *

Violet handed off the melon to Demetrius and received her payment for delivery. "This is an excellent specimen. Thank you, farmer Violet!" the scientist declared happily before taking the fruit and disappearing around the corner toward the kitchen.

The agrarian's cobalt eyes scanned the surrounding area before she headed toward Sebastian's bedroom door. Violet turned the knob as quietly as she could so not to draw attention, but her cover was blown the instant she shifted her weight onto the first stair. "He's out with Sam," Maru informed the floral-haired woman. "He usually doesn't get back till late on Saturdays."

Violet's heart was racing from Maru's sudden appearance. "Oh, in that case I'll talk to him another day," she verbalized, turning her body back toward the main floor of the house.

Maru lifted her shoulders. "I know you didn't come here to see me, but you're welcome to hang out until my brother comes home." She tilted her head toward her room. "I was just going to look at the stars with my telescope if you want to join."

The researcher's words made Violet feel guilty. Maru showed her a lot of kindness over the past two seasons and the farmer had neglected their friendship. While Violet was worn out from all the day's physical exertion, she recognized an opportunity to spend more quality time with Maru. "I've never used a telescope before," the woman admitted. "That sounds like fun!"

"Oh, right. I suppose the last time you saw me with it, my mom called us all for dinner before I could show you anything interesting," Maru recollected fondly, though Violet was unsure why. But then the young woman leaned in closer to the agriculturalist to add, "Sebastian told me about his magic after you left that night." She leaned in toward Violet and whispered, "He froze my pencil right in front of my eyes!"

Ah, that explained it.

Maru smiled at her guest and waved Violet over to her room, where they could step out onto the patio directly. The astrophile craned her head upward to determine where to point her telescope and adjusted the knobs accordingly. "I'm afraid I don't have any news about your plants just yet," the overall-clad woman apologized.

"Oh, that's okay," Violet assured Maru, leaning on the picket fence of the patio. "You seem so busy, I can't reasonably expect you to push everything else to the side to figure out my problem."

The younger woman chuckled. "I suppose you're right, I do have a lot of projects going on in addition to my job!" She leaned down to inspect the view through the stargazing device and shook her head, fiddling with the mechanics.

"I'm still sorry you lost your drone when we were looking for Shane," Violet said apologetically, "but it really helped while it lasted. Thanks!"

Maru's lips drew back with a wistful sigh. "Oh, machinery is bound to have some failure at some point, especially prototypes," she insisted. "I'll eventually make another, but for now I'm focusing on seasonal projects - like stargazing."

Violet tilted her head curiously. "What got you so interested in space, Maru?"

The scientist pursed her lips as she pondered the question. "You know, I don't think I've ever told anyone this other than my dad," Maru confessed, "but I once found an empty capsule in the mountainside." Her warm eyes glanced Violet's direction. "It did not seem to match any records of human space exploration devices, so I think it was alien technology." Maru gazed back up toward the dark sky, lit only by the quiet twinkle of the far-away stars and a sliver of the moon. "I guess I keep watch every night I can, wondering if I'll ever see anything like it again."

If someone had said this to Violet a year ago, she probably would have assumed they were one of those silly UFO chasers. But after living in Pelican Town for nearly two seasons, the farmer realized that she needed to keep an open mind. "What happened to the capsule you found?"

Maru sighed forlornly. "I wanted to keep it in my room, but it was too bulky to bring with me and when I tried to bring my dad the next time, I couldn't find it anymore."

"Do you think someone else found it?"

The amateur astronomer shrugged. "Either that, or my terrible sense of direction got me turned around."

"I don't believe it!" Violet teased. "Our resident genius, get lost?"

"That's the part you don't believe?" Maru countered with a grin. "I guess you're officially a local now, Violet." After some final tinkering, the scientist stepped back from the telescope. "Here, check this out and tell me what you see."

Violet lowered herself toward the eyepiece and let out an impressed exclamation. "Oh, it's gorgeous!"

"It's the Andromeda Galaxy," Maru elucidated. "You can see it without a telescope on nights like this, but it's nice to be able to get a closer look."

"I never thought I would see so many stars in one small section of the sky…" Violet reacted breathlessly.

"There are a lot of things we don't know about the world around us," Maru stated confidently. "But I hope to learn as much as I can about as many of them as possible."

Violet straightened her posture and yielded the telescope back to its owner. "Thanks for sharing that with me," the shorter woman uttered, stifling a yawn. She blinked, her eyelids heavy already. "I should probably head home and get to sleep. I've had a busy day."

Maru held out her hand to stop her for a moment. "Didn't you want to see Sebastian?"

The farmer bobbed her head. "I did, but I got to hang out with his cool sister for a while instead." She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Besides, I can always come back another time when I'm not so ready to pass out."

Frowning, the scientist made the sleepy planter promise to contact her once Violet got home safely. "I just want to make sure you don't fall over from exhaustion before you make it back to the farm."

Her visitor and made her good-bye before disappearing westward toward home. Maru stayed up until she got the text for Violet before heading in and going to bed herself. Even if Violet had not originally come to the house to see her, Maru thought it was nice the farmer stuck around. It was fun to talk to others about the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter was rough because I just want to skip ahead to something in particular, but I can't because it all requires set-up first. T.T


	27. A Dangerous Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey contemplates whether he should visit Talla again but his decision may come too late. Violet, Sebastian, Abigail, and Sam venture into the mines. Leah has a gift for Haley. Sebastian makes an alarming, yet convenient discovery.

Harvey had been in a frantic search for any scrap of knowledge he could scrounge up since Talla swam back out to sea Friday night. The doctor was not sure how long he sat there in the rain, speaking to a sea creature that sounded and acted just like the merchant woman he had come to know, but by the end of their conversation, Harvey's hat was soaked through.

Talla disclosed that she was a syren, the eldest Daughter of the Sea, and that her pendant had the ability to alter her appearance to look more like mortals with whom she conducted business. If she had not demonstrated before his very eyes, Harvey might have left right then and there for playing such a ridiculous joke on him.

"I shall ask you a question, should you come to see me again on Sunday," Talla said solemnly. "I know all this may come as a shock to a human," she shot a glare toward her father, who only grinned a reply. "I had not intended to reveal my identity in this manner, but my father is a meddlesome fool." Her dark eyes fixated on Harvey once again, "If you do not return, I shall not take it personally." Then, without waiting for his reply, Talla slipped into the water and disappeared beneath the waves with only the barest of ripples as evidence that she had been there at all.

After a period of dazed shock, Harvey spent the entirety of his Saturday in the library, wondering if there were any local legends or books on the syrens or mentioned the Sea Goddess, but he only found a paid advertisement to buy gifts for one's spouse at Pierre's General Store that perpetuated the rumor that the "Old Mariner" was a ghost. The only mention of deities the Doctor discovered were that of Yoba, which insinuated that he was the one that created the world.

So now, on this bright Summer Sunday, Doctor Harvey faced a choice. Should he go and see what Talla wanted from him or should he decide to cut his ties from a potentially dangerous monster? The traveling merchant was friendly toward him and while her - sister was it? - implied the possibility that their kind ate mortals, Talla had shown no noticeable interest in doing so. But that could all be an act. There were all sorts of old fairy tales about mythical beasts luring unsuspecting humans to their deaths.

But, on the other hand, Talla had him alone on several occasions and never harmed him. In fact, if Talla had meant to harm him, she had ample opportunity both near her cart and on the dock that rainy evening. They outnumbered him at least three to one. Who knows if there were others of their kind lurking under the surface?

The brunet leaned over the front desk counter of his clinic and sighed heavily. "What should I do?"

* * *

***"The spirits are very happy today! They will do their best to shower everyone with good fortune." Time to get up! Let's go slay some monsters, nerds!***

Abigail's impatient text came while Violet gave Shane a run-down on how to care for each of the crops and how to safely harvest without damaging the plant.

"And never, ever touch those plants in the twine boundary there, okay?" Violet emphasized, pointing to the mutant plants. "I don't know what's up with them," that statement was only partially true, but Shane did not need to know that. "But I don't think they're safe to touch but I also don't want to kill anything I've put so much work into raising."

Shane snorted, "Okay, okay. Brightly colored and possibly poisonous, good to know." He lifted the spare watering can that came with his house. "I think I can handle watering a few crops by myself," the scruffy man articulated sarcastically. "Now let me do my job!" he shooed Violet away with a swat of his meaty hand, forcing the farmer to retreat.

Once she quickly watered the mutant crops, Violet replied to Abigail's text. ***Let's all meet in the main cavern before heading down the elevator. I'm about to head out.*** The floral-haired woman was eager to make progress in the mines. If copper ores were found there, Violet hoped she could obtain iron ore somewhere further down so she could craft useful items, like bee houses, quality sprinklers, and preserves jars. Violet fantasized about all the free time she would have once she could get some sprinklers. Then again, Shane was going to take care of a lot of that work in the meantime. Violet could focus on fishing and mining for a while to make some money for a coop for Shane to keep his chickens.

After gathering up some snacks and emptying her bag of unnecessary items, Violet waved goodbye to Shane - and to Elliott who was just arriving to tend to his poppies and headed north up the trail toward the mountain.

* * *

Sebastian heard his phone rattle against his headboard and slapped it to silence the irritating hum. Last night, he and Sam were up late thinking of new songs for the band. They made a lot of progress, but by the time they finished, it was nearly midnight. Sebastian had to duck out immediately so he could get home before too late.

The synth player pulled the phone under his blanket with him to see why anyone would bother him this early. Sebastian did not want to deal with the beams of sunlight offending his eyes just yet. Sebastian read the messages, rubbing the sleep from his obsidian eyes.

**8:01 AM Abigail: *"The spirits are very happy today! They will do their best to shower everyone with good fortune." Time to get up! Let's go slay some monsters, nerds!***

**8:07 AM Violet: *Let's all meet in the main cavern before heading down the elevator. I'm about to head out.***

**8:15 AM Sam: *Just got my stuff together. Abigail, I'll swing by your place and we can walk together.***

**8:16 AM Abigail: *You better hurry, I wait for no one!***

**9:32 AM Sam: *Here!***

**9:33 AM Violet: *Sorry, Bruno held me up for a bit, but I'm almost there.***

**9:33 AM Abigail: *Well, grab Sebastian while you're at it. He's not here.***

**9:34 AM Sam: *Fam, are you awake?***

**9:36 AM Abigail: *Violet, drag his ass outta bed. There are fiends to fight!***

**9:37 AM Violet: *I don't know about dragging, but I'll check on him***

Sebastian's blood ran cold when he heard a voice calling him from the main floor. "Sebby, are you awake?" It was his mother's voice. "Violet's here! You're late to hang out with your friends today."

"I-I'm up!" he called back, throwing his blankets back and swinging his legs off the bed to get up and dress himself.

But then Sebastian heard footsteps descending the stairs as he frantically searched for the black jeans, he wore the night before, but his eyes were still adjusting to the sunlight pouring into the room. For once, he cursed his habit of burying himself under all the blankets.

Luckily, he found his jeans and practically leapt into them, fastening them, and cinching his belt together. Now where was his shirt? He turned to find that Violet stood on the bottom step, holding the handle of the open door in her grasp. Her deep blue eyes found his own dark orbs and she instantly blushed at the sight of his bare torso. The farmer covered her eyes. "I'm sorry, I should have knocked. I thought you were dressed since you said you were up!" and closed the door behind her. "I'll wait outside!" Violet informed him from the other side before he heard her footsteps going back up to the main floor of the house.

Sebastian stood in baffled silence for a moment while his brain processed what just happened. In a delayed reaction, his face flushed with embarrassment. He grabbed a fresh shirt from his chest of drawers and yanked on his signature black hoodie over it. The rookie sorcerer did his best to cover his face with the hood so Abigail and Sam would not tease him if the color of his face did not return to normal by the time they arrived at the mines. Then, Sebastian grabbed his backpack and went to meet Violet outside.

* * *

"You know, what we did on my birthday at the beach was a lot of fun," Sam brought up, wrapping his arms around Abigail's waist, and resting this chin on her shoulder.

Abigail squirmed slightly, but his touch tickled, and she giggled in response. "You mean the party or when we snuck off to rock that old, beached rowboat?"

"It was all fun!" Sam insisted, pulling his girlfriend closer, "though you seemed to like the danger of getting caught…"

The amethyst-haired woman's face turned pink as she frowned. "We didn't get caught, though."

"Yeah, but you like that adrenaline rush, don't you, babe?" Sam went to plant his lips onto hers, but Abigail pushed his face away.

"You're the worst."

Sam cackled with a wolfish grin. "That's not what you say when I'm -"

Abigail slapped her hand over his mouth as she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Violet and Sebastian appeared at the mouth of the cave, entering the main cavern. "It's about damn time, Sebastian!" the pale woman complained, releasing Sam's mouth from her grasp.

"I overslept a bit, so sue me," Sebastian shot back grumpily. Sam noticed the tinge of color on both Violet and his best friend's faces. He nudged Abigail and pointed it out, but the two only exchanged knowing smirks.

"We should get going if we want to make as much progress as possible," Violet reminded the gang, stepping toward the elevator.

The rest of the raiding party followed, filing into the small elevator. "Level 30, right?" Sebastian clarified before he pressed the button.

"That's the one!" Sam agreed, tapping the hilt on his steel smallsword. Abigail shifted her weight impatiently until the ping of the elevator chimed and the doors to release its occupants.

As before, level 30 was relatively barren except for a pair of lanterns lighting the brown stone cavern and a hole in the ground in the corner. Abigail took the lead to climb down the ladder to the floor below, followed by Sam, Violet, and Sebastian. "Fuck, it's pit-black down here once you're out of the torch light…" Abigail cursed as she warily stepped out of the radius of light from the small torch on the wall. "If only we had a flashlight…"

Violet noticed that the stone was different on this floor - a cool grey instead of an earthy brown. Their footsteps echoed eerily as they ventured further into the open.

"Oh," Sebastian interjected, fumbling with his bag. "I keep forgetting I have this," the magic-user admitted as he pulled a small, glowing ring out of one of the small compartments.

"I thought I lost that!" the farmer explained, gently taking the ring from their party sorcerer.

Sebastian chuckled, the sound bouncing off the walls of the cavern. "Maru might have 'borrowed' it," the researcher's older brother explained, though he failed to specify that Maru gave it to him to return a season ago.

Violet called Abigail over and handed off the ring. "Here, since you and Sam are our fighters, you should have it."

The amethyst-haired woman gladly accepted the ring and a soft light surrounded her. Abigail grinned, swinging her sword. "Much better!" she exclaimed with a satisfied smile. "Let's go get some monsters!"

Sam trotted close behind while Sebastian and Violet focused on collected resources. "You can either take this extra pickaxe and mine with me or keep an eye out for anything coming our way," the floral-haired woman stated, indicating the extra axe she received when she bought the guest cabin.

Sebastian opted to keep watch just in case something slipped by Abigail and Sam in the dark, leaving them completely defenseless. Violet shrugged, "That's fine," she reassured the black-clad man when he expressed concern about leaving her to do all the physical labor. "I'm the one who needs the ore, so you all are helping me out."

Sadly, however, the only ore Violet found thus far was copper. She needed iron if she hoped to make all the improvements on her farm. The woman straightened after picking apart a small stone and wiped her brow. Violet detected movement from the corner of her eye.

"Sebastian, what's that?" the woman whispered as quietly as she could. It was too dim for him to see where she indicated, so she groped the air until she found his arm and pointed it in the direction of the pair of green orbs.

The way the small circles danced in the air reminded Sebastian of… His eyes widened, "Oh shit!" He grabbed Violet's arm and retreated toward the torchlight near the level entrance so they could better see their foe. "I think it's a shadow person," he told her, flipping through the dogeared pages of his spell compendium to find a useful incantation.

Violet dropped her axe and drew her sword, placing herself between the mysterious being and her companion. The two could hear a grinding as the brute moved, like stones being rubbed together. As it stepped into the firelight, Violet charged the creature. Her blade hit but did not appear to do much damage. It was as if the steel had tried to bite rock.

"It's not a shadow, it's made of stone!" Violet proclaimed.

"V, Sebastian!" Sam's voice called from the opposite end of the rocky cavern. "Is everything okay back there?"

Sebastian cursed and he continued to search for a ranged spell, but he became increasingly panicked as the farmer shrieked when the stone golem tried to grab her. The magic-user could hear Sam and Abigail running toward them to assist, but he worried they would not make it in time before Violet got hurt. Sebastian threw the book to the ground and decided to improvise. "Golem of stone, leave my friends alone!" he shouted in a commanding tone and stomped his foot in emphasis.

The stone humanoid turned its head to face Sebastian, and he worried it would now go after him, but maybe he could outrun it. If only it would…

Strangely, the golem tilted its head and gently put Violet down, then with its jerky movements came to kneel before Sebastian. His ink-black eyes widened in surprise as the golem moved its mouth, but only gravelly, unintelligibly sounds emerged. It was as if it was trying to speak but had no method of doing so.

Unsure of how to handle the situation, Sebastian nodded at the golem and excused himself to help Violet up. The woman tittered nervously as she took his hand to stand. "What did you do, Sebastian?" she asked him in disbelief.

Sam and Abigail also arrived on the scene and the swordswoman's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Sebastian! How the fuck did you get a monster to obey you?"

"That's sweet, fam!" Sam cheered, offering his best friend a fist bump. When Sebastian did not react, but instead stared at the ambulatory stone statue Sam tapped his knuckles to Sebastian's to get his attention.

"Sorry, Sam," the sorcerer replied in a daze, circling the golem like a vulture, and inspecting it from all angles. "I just don't know why this thing listened to me."

Abigail's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, didn't that Shadow on Violet's farm technically listen to your orders, too?"

Violet bowed her head to concur. "It seemed that way, at least from the video you took," she agreed, turning toward Sebastian. "So, what, your cool powers work on all magical creatures in the Valley?"

Sebastian shrugged. "Only the two so far," he responded, retrieving his spell compendium off the ground, and tucking it back in his pack.

The screeching of bats echoed off the walls of grey stone, alerting the gang of their approach. Abigail drew her sword, "Well, try it out with these little guys and if it doesn't work, we can handle them."

Once the winged mammals were in sight, Sebastian reiterated his command, but the flyers completely ignored the order. Abigail and Sam swung their swords a few times while Sebastian and Violet ducked to keep out of range. "I guess not," Sam observed after the pair defeated their attackers.

"There's got to be a connection between the Shadows and these stone golems," Violet asserted, shouldering her bag once again and taking up her pickaxe. She shook her head, "But either way, I don't think we're going to find the answer standing here. We need to get moving if we're going to make any progress today."

"Abigail and I actually found a ladder down right before we heard you scream, V," Sam notified the other duo. He tilted his head, the spikes in his hair bobbing along with the motion. "Let's go!"

Sebastian hesitated, unsure about what to do about the golem still kneeling before him. He addressed the golem, "Uh… as you were." The sorcerer jumped back as the stone humanoid rose to its feet and wandered off into the darkness, leaving a befuddled hoodie-wearing man in its wake.

* * *

Leah knocked on the front door of 2 Willow Lane, the sun emblem above the entrance of the house staring her down. The ginger shifted on her feet slightly, anxiously waiting for someone to answer. There was a potted cactus beside the door and the raised garden in front of the house appeared to house a trio of fresh, edible greens. The sculptor wondered to which sister they belonged.

It was Emily who opened the portal and smiled to greet the artist. "Why good afternoon, Leah!" the sapphire-haired woman chirped cheerfully.

"Hi, Emily. Beautiful day, isn't it?" the red-head said, making small talk.

Emily bobbed her head in agreement. "Oh, yes, it's a shame I'll be spending most of it in the bar," she answered. The woman in the ruby dress tilted her head to one side. "How can I help you?"

The sculptor paused briefly before stepping aside to reveal the piece she brought. It was a swirl of deep, richly colored wood. "I uh… have a gift for Haley that I've been working on." Her grey eyes glanced beyond Emily into the house. "Is she home?"

"That's lovely!" Emily complimented Leah's work. Then the blonde's older sister shook her head. "No, I think she's usually hanging out with Alex at the ice cream stand around this time," Emily informed her neighbor. "Would you like to bring it inside for now?"

Leah shook her head. "No, it's okay," she assured the seamstress. "I'll just come back another time."

Emily indicated her understanding. "Well, if you want to catch her at home, I suggest getting her before 10:30 in the morning or after dinnertime," the barmaid advised. "She's usually out of the house most of the day, enjoying the beautiful weather."

The ginger flattened her braid against her body and beamed, "I can't blame her for that, Pelican Town is a beautiful place to live." Leah glanced back at Emily before heading home. "Thanks for the tip, maybe I'll see you at The Stardrop Saloon later!"

* * *

The next eight levels went quickly, since it seemed that Sebastian's order to leave them alone had already reached the other stone golems wandering aimlessly in the lightless caverns of grey stone. Other monsters were trivial by comparison and because the danger seemed to be relatively small, Sebastian joined Violet in mining resources. The team made great progress, but the farmer was beginning to feel discouraged about finding any iron at all when, upon the 40th level, the landscape of the tunnels changed drastically.

It was a small cavern, much like the 20th level on which they found their steel smallswords, but everything was covered in a layer of ice and frost, even the walls and ceiling. In the center of the room lay a burgundy chest with bright gold trimming. Sam eagerly popped it open to reveal four slingshots. While the other three bemoaned the useless weapon, Sam's face lit up. "Dude, these things are the best!" he insisted, pulling the bands back to test the resistance. He motioned to Violet. "Hey, V! Pass me a stone, will ya?"

Violet obliged and tossed him several from her pack. The blond winked closed the eye nearest the stone as he drew the slingshot up toward his shoulder and took aim at one of the swirling patterns of frost along the wall. When Sam released the band, the rock shot toward the wall with alarming speed and shattered right on target. The skater turned back toward the gang and smirked. "See? Fire power!"

The rest of them tried simply to humor their friend and the trio only had disappointing results. "How about we give you the slingshots and you can get our sniper, eh?" Violet proposed, handing the blond man her slingshot and a pile of stones as ammo.

Sam lifted his shoulders agreeably. "If that's what you guys want…" though he accepted the slingshots with a glint in his mossy green eyes.

The quartet descended the ladder down into the next floor and found themselves in a wintery wonderland. But before they could stop to admire the beauty of it all, they were accosted by a swarm of small black orbs. Abigail swung her sword on instinct, beating back most of them before they regrouped.

"They're like little soot sprites!" Violet squealed with delight, trying to approach one and pick it up, but the tiny fiend lunged and attacked the cultivator. Like a light switch, the floral-haired woman's attitude toward the sprites flipped instantaneously and she swung her smallsword at her foes, letting out a battle cry. With their enemies quickly defeated, Violet scanned the area for useful material and nearly cried with joy. "Iron ore!" she shouted, running toward the enormous lode of about a dozen stones all heavy with the material. In her eagerness, Violet was not careful to watch her step and slipped on the ice, prompting a laugh from her fellow explorers. However, it did not stop the woman from rising to her feet and getting to work.

Sebastian stepped in to assist while Sam and Abigail went searching further along the cavern. "It looks like there might be some good minerals over here," the amethyst-haired woman called to their companions. Once the duo was finished with the iron ore, they followed the sound of Abigail's voice to find a stone with a faint purple swirl. Violet swung her axe several times before it finally broke open to reveal a bright yellow topaz.

"Today is really our lucky day!" Sam exclaimed, scooping up the gem and putting it in his bag.

The group decided to call it a night when they realized how late it had become. "Oh fuck, it's past midnight," Sebastian realized, checking his phone.

Violet yawned, "No wonder I'm so sleepy," the farmer uttered with a cat-like stretch of her arms and back.

Sam groaned, "We're never gonna get back to the home as tired as we are…" He dramatically lay on the icy ground. "Lemma just sleep right here."

Sebastian offered his best friend an arm. "We can all crash in my room, but we'll have to squeeze a bit."

The idea of somewhere closer to sleep revived the blond for a moment. "Awesome, fam. You're the best."

So, the four explorers quickly made it back to 1 Mountain Road in the late hours of the night. Sebastian opened the door silently and urged his friend inside and down to his room. The stairs creaked, but they were confident they had not woken the rest of the household. Once they got into Sebastian's room, everyone dropped their gear and practically collapsed.

"Girls get the bed!" Abigail declared and before Sebastian could protest, both Violet and Abigail climbed in and snuggled under the covers. Violet was out as soon as her head hit the pillow, but Abigail was subjected to a rebuttal.

"Dude, I said you could stay here, not take my bed. You can have the couch!" Sebastian growled grumpily. Abigail simpered and looked to her boyfriend.

"Sam, will you be willing to take the couch with me?"

The blond grinned in reply. "Anytime, babe." Sebastian balked at the idea that he should share his bed with Violet, but Abigail had already traded spots and pulled a blanket over her and Sam. The couple giggled under their sheets conspiratorially and Sebastian wondered if they did this on purpose.

"What the problem, fam?" Sam questioned from his hiding spot. "I'm sure Violet wouldn't mind, just ask her."

Sebastian grumbled and turned out the lights, walking to his bed from the faint light from behind the curtain. He sat on his bed and poked the sleeping agrarian. "Violet, is it okay if I use my bed, too?"

The woman stirred slightly but did not open her eyes. "Sure, 'Bastion…" she answered. If Sebastian were not so dead-tired from everything today, he might have tried a bit harder to make sure that Violet really meant that. But his eyelids felt so heavy and the woman's hand reached out for him and tugged his shirt closer. "You're so warm…" she muttered under her breath. "It was freezing on those icy levels."

Sebastian's lips turned upward in a soft curve as settled down beside her. "Okay, I guess I can warm you up if you're really that cold." He was doing her a favor this way, right? At least, that was what the part of him that was desperate for sleep told Sebastian. He shut his eyes and drifted off with the warmth of someone else beside him. _I could get used to this…_

* * *

Harvey awoke with a start and realized from the darkness around him that he had fallen asleep reading on the couch. He leapt to his feet, realizing it was past the time Talla usually stayed in the Cindersap Forest. The doctor supposed that taking his mind off the subject and re-visiting whether to visit Talla would allow him to think things through in a more subjective manner. But now that he had possibly missed the opportunity altogether, it became clear to the clinician that he wanted to go after all. He cursed to himself and pulled on his shoes as quickly as possible.

Sprinting toward the forest, Harvey felt a stinging in his chest as his lungs struggled to provide his brain with the air it needed. It was at this moment that the physician regretted not getting more cardio. Still, he pressed onward past the houses on Willow Lane, past Marnie's ranch, and Leah's cottage. In the clearing beside the oldest tree in the forest, Harvey discovered to his relief that Talla's cart was still parked in its usual spot. Even if the shutters were closed, it meant she was still here!

The mustached man bent in half, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath before knocking on the brightly colored cart. "Talla!" the bespectacled man called out to the merchant. "Talla, it's me, Harvey!" he shouted, to no avail. Harvey panted for a while longer before continuing. "I know I'm unreasonably late, but it's still before midnight, isn't it?" he reasoned in a pleading tone. "Please, go ahead and ask me your question…"

The sound of sloshing water came from inside the cart and the shutters flung open, nearly smacking the glasses off Harvey's face. "Good evening, Doctor," Talla greeted him in her syren form. Harvey would have stuttered out a question in his confusion, but the brunet quickly realized that the vendor was in an enormous barrel of sea water. "Do you truly wish to hear my proposition?" the finned female asked.

Harvey blinked. "P-proposition?" he repeated quizzically.

"Yes, Doctor," the demigoddess replied curtly. "That is why you came, is it not?" She rested her elbow on the windowsill of her cart and rested her head on her hand. "And yet you are so late…" she sighed with disappointment. "I am tempted to deny you."

The man nodded but made his case despite still trying to regulate his breathing. "Please… give me a chance, Talla," he begged earnestly. "It was just a lot to process for someone like me who's never met anything -" he stopped himself and corrected his phrasing. " _Anyone_ like you..."

Her dark eyes studied the medic, then a smile crept onto the merchant's lips. "Fine," the syren relented. "You have technically met the deadline, if only just…" she chuckled. The trader leaned over the counter of the cart, pausing inches away from his face.

Harvey's reaction was to flinch away from the serrated teeth and predatory eyes, but he held his ground. Talla beamed at him, seemingly pleased with herself. "Will you come with me to the warfront in Gotoro as a traveling doctor?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes, that is two chapters in two days. It's amazing how much faster the writing process becomes when you're excited to write a chapter!


End file.
